Participants of the 18th inter-Korean ministerial talks continued discussions into late Sunday night but were still unable to agree on a joint statement as of early Monday.

With the talks set to end Monday, the weekend saw a flurry of chief delegates' and working-level meetings aimed at narrowing differences on key matters.

The delegation from Seoul urged Pyongyang to pursue bold measures to resolve a number of issues, including the South Korean abductees and POWs matter, the North's designation of Danchon in South Hamgyeong Province as a special zone for joint resource development and the joint use of a western estuary of the Han River.

Meanwhile, North Korea called for Seoul to lift its ban on South Koreans to visit state-run patriots' cemeteries in the North, halt its joint military drills with the United States from next year and to allow unlimited economic cooperation regardless of region, sector and scale.

An official close to the talks said both sides are taking time to examine the other's proposals.

The two sides are expected to issue a joint statement after a final meeting Monday morning.