Korea's manufacturing sector is expected to face significantly increased cost burdens as the Middle Eastern crisis continues to push up global energy prices, a report showed Monday. When international crude prices rise 10 percent, the average production cost of manufacturers here goes up by 0.71 percent, the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade (KIET), a state-run think tank, said in a report assessing the impact of the Iran crisis on the Korean economy. In particular, the average production cost in the petrochemical industry will likely jump 6.3 percent, while that of chemical products are projected to increase 1.59 percent. Production costs of rubber and plastic products are expected to expand 0.46 percent. Dubai crude prices, the benchmark for Middle Eastern oil, surged by over 40 percent since U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iran late last month, the KIET said, noting that Korea, in particular, is vulnerable to such a situation as the country imports around 70 percent of crude oil from the Middle East. In case of exports, the Middle East accounts for only around 2-3 p