The U.S. State Department says it will send an official to the Northeast Asia Cooperative Dialogue opening in San Diego.

North Korean foreign ministry director Ri Gun is expected to attend the gathering so U.S.-North Korea contact is thought to be a possibility some time before or after the meeting, which will take place next Monday and Tuesday.

Department Spokesman Ian Kelly made the remarks during a daily news briefing on Monday. When asked if U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim will meet with North Korean official Ri Gun in New York, Kelly said that although a bilateral meeting has not been scheduled, that does not eliminate the possibility.

Kelly said that no decision has been made about who the U.S. will send to the meeting in San Diego.