Park returns home after two-nation visit for climate, regional summits

   President Park Geun-hye returned home Saturday after a two-nation swing to attend the U.N. climate summit and a string of summits with the leaders of central European countries.

   In Paris, Park called for global efforts to launch a new deal on combating climate change and sought collaboration among countries to help make clean energy widely affordable.

   "We must marshal the collective will and capacities of the entire world and make absolutely sure that this climate change conference gives birth to a new climate regime," Park said at the U.N. climate change in Paris.

   The summit was designed to generate political momentum for negotiations on a new legally binding deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The negotiators are set to produce a deal that is to be applicable to all countries and seeks to keep global warming below

2 degrees Celsius.

   In Prague, Park met with the prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia in the inaugural summit between South Korea and the so-called Visegrad Group.

   Park also held separate talks with all four leaders in Prague, which were dominated by Park's sales pitch for South Korea's nuclear reactors and her push to make inroads into infrastructure markets.

   South Korea said the Visegrad Group countries are pursuing major infrastructure projects expected to be worth over 50 trillion won ($43 billion).

   South Korea also hopes that the experience of the Visegrad Group in embracing democracy and market economy could be a lesson for South Korea at a time when it is pursuing a peaceful unification with North Korea.

   "There are many areas in which to cooperate with these countries to help North Korea embrace change," Park told South Korean residents, noting the Visegrad Group had the experience of transforming into a democracy and a market economy following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

   She has called reunification a "bonanza" for South Korea as well as a blessing for surrounding countries.

   Still, North Korea has long suspected that Seoul could be plotting to absorb Pyongyang, a claim denied by South Korea. (Yonhap)