The chief nuclear negotiators from both Koreas met in New York on Wednesday for the first time since 2009. South Korean envoy Lim Sung-nam and his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho chatted at a dinner hosted jointly by Syracuse University's Maxwell School and Germany's Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

The dinner was part of a conference that continues till Friday.

South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator Lim Sung-nam (left) and his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho /Reuters-Yonhap

Nothing important seems to have been discussed, but the contact breaks the ice after a long silence and follows North Korea's offer in talks with the U.S. to suspend uranium enrichment in return for food aid. The envoys are both staying at the same hotel.

Lim had reportedly prepared a message for Ri concerning resumption of six-party nuclear disarmament talks.

Both Lim and Ri are also expected to attend a conference hosted by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy on Saturday. There is a chance that nuclear negotiators from the two Koreas and the U.S. will meet unofficially since either the U.S. special representative for North Korea Glyn Davies or Clifford Hart, the U.S. special envoy for the six-party talks, is expected to be present at the conference as well.