Washington, October 5 (Yonhap) -- The United States encourages cultural exchanges with North Korea and the administration would provide support for such ventures, including a performance in Pyongyang by the New York Philharmonic, the State Department said Friday.

"Secretary (of State Condoleezza) Rice is interested in encouraging cultural exchanges between North Korea and the U.S.," department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

"This kind of visit by the Philharmonic, should they decide to do it, would fall into that category."

"In as much as this is something that both sides are interested in exploring, we will do what we can to facilitate it," he told reporters.

North Korea in August had invited the world-class orchestra to perform in the country through its Culture Ministry representative.

A delegation led by the orchestra"s president and executive director, Zarin Mehta, left for Pyongyang on Thursday and was to arrive in the North on Saturday. A State Department official is accompanying the delegation.

"These talks are preliminary -- we are not expecting definitive plans to emerge from these discussions," a press statement said.

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