The two Koreas will seek to issue a joint agreement on the last day of inter-Korean defense ministers’ talks in Pyongyang Thursday.

The two sides sought to produce a joint agreement in late night discussions Wednesday but failed to narrow major differences, particularly on the issue of establishing a joint fishing area off the west coast.

The South’s delegation proposed that the Koreas each provide an area of the same size around the Northern Limit Line (NLL) for setting up the joint fishing area. However, the North adhered to its demand of creating the area south of the de facto inter-Korean sea border.

Such differences have raised concerns that the two sides will not even be able to discuss military safety guarantees for inter-Korean business cooperation projects, including the operation of cargo trains and building of a direct route linking Seoul and Mount Baekdu.

However, the South’s delegation is hoping for a last-minute agreement on the military safety guarantees and ways to establish mutual trust as the North has shown no opposition on the two issues.