South Korea on Sunday issued an alert against traveling to Libya, asking its nationals to defer nonessential trips to the northern African state currently engulfed in violent anti-government protests. 

Eastern parts of Libya have been issued with the strongest alert, while South Korean nationals are also asked to reconsider trips to other parts of the country, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. 

A growing number of casualties are being reported, especially in the eastern regions of Benghazi, Al Bayda and Derna, as police are clashing with protesters calling for the resignation of their ruler. 

Korean travelers who are currently in Libya must exercise a high degree of caution while staying in their hotels or residences until the situation calms, the Foreign Ministry said, advising others to cancel their trips to the country. 

Hundreds of local residents had forced their way into a South Korean construction site in Libya last week, sparking concerns for the safety of Koreans residing in the country. The local residents have currently withdrawn from the site, according to the ministry.

Anti-government protests that toppled long-ruling dictators in Tunisia and Egypt have been spreading across the Middle East and North African states in recent months.

By Shin Hae-in (hayney@heraldcorp.com)