In 2009, an effort by the South Korean government to export about 850,000 firearms to the United States, including 87,000 M1 rifles, for eventual sale to civilians, was initially approved by the Obama administration, but it later blocked the sale in March 2010. A State Department spokesman said the administration's decision was based on concerns that the guns could fall into the wrong hands and be used for criminal activity. However, in January 2012, the U.S. and South Korea agreed on the sale of 87,000 M1 Garand rifles, and the South Korean government entered into discussion with U.S. civilian arms dealers. Korea has sold tens of thousands of M1 Garand rifles to the U.S. civilian market between 1986 and 1994. In 2018, the CMP reported they had received a shipment of more than 90,000 M1 Garand rifles from the Philippine and also stated plans to restore many of those rifles for civilian sale.