The South Korean foreign ministry issued on Monday a travel alert to Sudan, advising travelers there to leave the African nation troubled with anti-government protests.

   "Considering anti-government protests spreading in places like Khartoum and Omdurman and an increasing number of casualties from the Sudanese government's crackdown, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a special travel alert in the entire Sudan region starting Monday," the ministry's statement said.

   South Koreans who are currently staying in the African country or planning to travel there are advised to return or cancel their visit, the ministry said. The travel alert gets automatically renewed every week until the ministry lifts it.

   The ministry also advised South Korean residents in the country to pay special caution to safety.