South Korea will advise poultry farmers to take precautions against a potential bird flu outbreak as migratory birds are expected to arrive from countries affected by the deadly virus later this month, agriculture officials said Monday.

The Agriculture and Forest Ministry said it would issue a bird flu advisory later this week that calls for farmers to keep their fowl stock inside cages to prevent them from contacts with migratory birds.

"Starting late this month, winter migratory birds are expected to travel over to the Korean Peninsula from Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia where bird flu broke out," said Kim Chang-seok, a ministry official.

South Korea's poultry industry was hit hard when bird flu swept through Asia in 2003-2004.

Nineteen cases of bird flu broke out in the country between December 2003 and March 2004, forcing authorities to cull more than 5 million chickens and ducks.