South and North Korea will coordinate views to issue a joint statement on the third day of their ministerial talks in Seoul Thursday.

The two sides confirmed their stances on major issues after holding late-night working-level talks on Wednesday.

The South’s delegation proposed a joint academic conference to discuss bringing permanent peace to the Korean Peninsula and establishing an inter-Korean economic community.

The South also asked the North to join in bilateral defense ministers' talks to discuss easing military tensions and the gradual reopening of cross-border railways.

Efforts to reach a compromise are expected to face difficulties, however, as the North is expected on Thursday to reiterate its call for Seoul to deliver 400-thousand tons of rice aid as previously agreed.

Last week, the government announced that it will postpone the rice shipment until Pyongyang effectively implements a six-way nuclear dismantlement agreement from February.

North Korea has refused to proceed with the initial steps outlined in the agreement until it receives its funds that were previously frozen at the Banco Delta Asia bank in Macao.