The first contact between North Korean and U.S. officials since the Obama administration took office was held in New York on Saturday local time.

The North American affairs chief for the North Korean Foreign Ministry, Ri Gun, met with U.S. special envoy to the six-party nuclear talks Sung Kim at U.N. headquarters.

After the meeting, the North Korean official told reporters that he and Sung Kim discussed issues of mutual interest, but he did not give any further details.

Kim Myong-gil, deputy head of the North Korean mission to the U.N. in New York who also attended the talks, said the two sides have no plans to meet in New York again today. But he did hint at another meeting with the U.S. during the Northeast Asia Cooperative Dialogue, opening Tuesday in San Diego.

After the Ri-Kim meeting, the U.S. State Department said in a statement that Ambassador Sung Kim took the opportunity to meet with Ambassador Ri in New York on Saturday to convey Washington's position on denuclearization and the six-party talks.

The North Korean envoy will be in San Diego through Wednesday for the Northeast Asia dialogue and will return to New York on Thursday to attend a forum on North Korea that opens Friday. Sung Kim is also expected to attend both events. Three to four more bilateral contacts are expected before the end of the week.