South Korean President Moon Jae-in marked 100 days in office on Thursday by holding a news conference, where he touched on issues ranging from tensions on the Korean Peninsula, to economic and social reforms. So far, the president has received high marks for his performance, but he could face pressure as his transition period fades. Our correspondent Shane Hahm reports.

 

South Korean President Moon Jae-in says he will do everything in his power to prevent war on the Korean Peninsula. Speaking in his first open news conference since taking office, the president made clear that the DPRK must halt its provocative actions.

 

MOON JAE-IN SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT "I believe the red line is when the DPRK perfects its intercontinental ballistic missile and weaponizes it by mounting a nuclear warhead. I believe the DPRK is approaching this red line."

 

The president also touted recent DPRK sanctions by the UN Security Council, saying the unanimous 15-0 vote sends a strong signal to Pyongyang from the international community. He further downplayed US President Donald Trump's "fire and fury" remark and stressed any military action would require consensus from South Korea. On the economic front, President Moon's first order of business was job creation. He was able to get the approval for a $10 billion supplementary budget from the legislature. But he now faces difficult decisions on corporate structure, tax, and labor reform and questions over how to fund his social welfare programs. And earlier this month, his government announced a far-reaching list of real estate measures to try and cool down an overheated property market.

 

MOON JAE-IN SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT "If property prices still show signs of rising after a certain period of time, the government is prepared with even stronger measures in its pockets."

 

President Moon took power following the impeachment of his predecessor and public trust in the government waning. But since taking office, he's seen his approval ratings consistently hover in the upper 70 percent range, the second highest ever for a South Korean president at this point. Challenges still remain though, including issues like constitutional revision, labor reform, and promoting social cohesion. That means all eyes will be closely watching to see how the Moon administration carries out its agenda over the next five years. CGTN, Shane Hahm.