Bank loans extended to households rose for the third consecutive month in June as banks ease the barriers to securing housing-related loans.

According to Bank of Korea data released Tuesday, the total value of outstanding household loans issued by banks reached one-thousand-60-point-eight trillion won as of the end of June, up 300 billion won from a month earlier.

It marks the third straight month the number has climbed, though growth slowed compared to May, when the figure rose by 400 billion won.

The latest rise is due to higher demand for housing-related loans, which grew by one-point-four trillion won on-month to over 789 trillion.

Other unsecured, non-mortgage loans, however, including credit loans, fell one-point-two trillion won to 270-point-four trillion won last month, continuing to trend downward for the seventh straight month. The drop is mainly attributed to the higher cost of borrowing following the central bank's recent rate hikes.

According to separate data issued by financial regulators, household loans extended by both the banking sector and non-banking institutions grew by 700 billion won in June.