SEOUL, July 10, 2023 (BSS/Xinhua) - South Korea's jobless claims rose last month amid growing worry about an economic slump, labor ministry data showed on Monday.

 The number of new applicants for job-seeking benefits came in at 87,000 in June, up 2.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

 The number rebounded this year on mounting concerns about the economic downturn, driven by the continued export fall and the faltering housing market.

 The benefit applicants expanded in the construction, education services and manufacturing industries.

 Financed by the state employment insurance fund, the job-seeking benefits are offered by the government to help the unemployed seek jobs, taking up a majority of unemployment benefits.

 The number of benefit receivers totaled 642,000 in June, up 4.4 percent from a year earlier. It kept an upward trend for the fifth straight month.

 The total payment of job-seeking benefits increased by 7.2 percent to 1.02 trillion won (783 million U.S. dollars) in the cited month.

 The per-capita payment added 2.6 percent to 1,595,000 won (1,220 dollars) last month.