President Lee Myung-bak returned home Saturday after attending this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The president delivered a keynote speech Thursday during a general meeting at the conference, in which he announced South Korea’s bid to host the 18th U.N. climate summit in 2012. He also unveiled a plan to establish an international institute that would be tasked with countering climate change and promoting green growth.

He then met with those expected to be involved in the establishment of the institute, including Lord Nicholas Stern, a renowned climate economist at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Lee said the institute will take the lead in devising detailed measures to promote green growth.