Container shipping costs from Korea to the Middle East extended their gains for the fifth consecutive month in June, the customs agency said Wednesday, amid lingering geopolitical tensions. The average shipping charge for a 40-foot container from Korea to the Middle East rose 15.1 percent from a month earlier to 7.78 million won ($5,520) in June, according to data from the Korea Customs Service. The average shipping charge for containers bound for the U.S. west coast rose 45.5 percent from a month earlier to 7.86 million won, while that for the east coast increased 26.6 percent to 7.11 million won. Shipping costs to the European Union gained 17.4 percent to 4.24 million won. The figures include freight rates, commissions and other charges reported by local exporters, according to the agency.