President Park Geun-hye and the prime ministers of the Czech Republic and three other central European countries pressed North Korea Thursday to stop its nuclear and missile programs and return to the negotiating table.

South Korea and the so-called Visegrad Group "urged North Korea to respond to diplomatic efforts to create favorable conditions for the resumption of six-nation talks," according to a joint statement issued after the summit.

The Visegrad Group is composed of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

North Korea has vowed to develop its economy and nuclear arsenal in tandem, viewing its nuclear program as a powerful deterrent against what it claims is Washington's hostile policy against it.

The nuclear talks -- which involve the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan -- were last held in 2008.

It marked the first time that Park has held summit talks with Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and the prime ministers of Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

They also voiced their opposition to any actions that raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Just days before, North Korea's test launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile ended in failure.

South Korea and the U.S. said the North's failed test constitutes violations of the U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban North Korea from conducting a launch using ballistic missile technology.

Park and the leaders of the Visegrad Group also called on North Korea to improve its dismal human rights record.

North Korea has long been accused of grave human rights abuses, ranging from holding political prisoners in concentration camps to committing torture and carrying out public executions.

Still, the North has denied any rights abuses, describing the accusations as a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime, and claiming it has the world's most advantageous human rights conditions and policies.

Park and the leaders of the Visegrad Group also said the Ukraine ceasefire deal reached in the Belarusian capital of Minsk should be swiftly and fully implemented as they reaffirmed their support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

They said the situation in Eastern Ukraine can be resolved through peaceful agreement.

Park and the leaders of the Visegrad Group also agreed to hold close consultations in a wide range of areas, including climate change, counterterrorism and cybersecurity.

"We agreed to actively join efforts to root out terrorism," Park said in a joint news conference with the four leaders after their summit.

Sobotka said the foreign ministers between South Korea and the Visegrad Group plan to hold a meeting on a regular basis to boost cooperation, without giving a time frame.

Separately, the sides agreed to consider setting up high-level talks meant to explore cooperation in infrastructure.

An Chong-bum, senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, told reporters that South Korea hopes to make inroads into infrastructure in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

The four central European countries are pursuing major infrastructure projects expected to be worth over 50 trillion won ($43 billion), according to Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea's presidential office.

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said in the news conference that he hopes South Korea and the Visegrad Group cooperate in nuclear energy, noting the sides share a common stance on the issue.

Earlier in the day, Park held a separate meeting with Sobotka and made a sales pitch again for South Korea's nuclear reactors for the Czech Republic.

In May, the Czech Republic announced its plan to build two nuclear reactors expected to be worth over 10 trillion won ($8.6 billion) and is scheduled to select a successful bidder in 2019.

The central European country currently relies on six nuclear reactors to meet 35 percent of its energy needs.

Park also asked Sobotka to consider buying South Korea's Surion helicopter for a Czech acquisition project of multi-purpose attack helicopters, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

Also Thursday, Park held three separate meetings with the prime ministers of Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Park called for cooperation from Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo to ensure South Korean companies can participate in massive infrastructure projects being pursued by Poland.

Szydlo said she is confident that the two countries can explore specific cooperative projects, noting there is a possibility of development in infrastructure and innovation.

Park also made a similar request to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban over subway renovations and other infrastructure projects in Hungary.

Meanwhile, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico asked South Korean companies to participate in a project to build an airport in his country and proposed that the two countries discuss how to cooperate in nuclear energy next year. (Yonhap)