OECD and Pew Research Center polls showed that during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, which took place during Moon's presidency, South Koreans’ levels of trust in government increased, and the government oversaw a more responsive and effective disaster response to the pandemic compared to previous disasters which took place in South Korea, such as the MERS outbreak and the Sewol ferry disaster. Moon's government reduced the maximum hour work week from 68 hours to 52, which led to an increase in work-life balance, increased the minimum wage, expanded childcare benefits and provision, and also health care coverage. Moon's government also began a transition to green economic growth, introducing a Green New Deal plan and pledged carbon neutrality by 2040. However, Moon's government did not act on a new anti-discrimination bill despite having a majority in the National Assembly. It also failed to effectively resolve a housing crisis in the Seoul area and its surroundings (where half of South Korea's population resides). The Seoul housing crisis was said to be enough to swing the 2022 presidential election to the opposition conservatives to succeed Moon. For foreign policy, Moon would be remembered for presiding over South Korea's increased stature and prestige in international affairs as a middle power, and pushing forward with trade negotiations with South East Asia and India under his signature New Southern Policy (NSP). NSP aimed to diversify South Korea's economic and strategic relationships due to uncertainty caused by increasing competition between its closest ally, the United States, and the largest trading partner, China. However, Moon's summits with North Korea failed to achieve any significant breakthrough in inter-Korean or US-North Korea relations, and relations between South Korea and Japan fell to further new lows. Electoral history Honours National honours : Recipient of the Grand Order of Mugunghwa (May 3, 2022) Foreign distinctions : Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (June 14, 2021) : Grand Collar of the Order of Boyaca (August 25, 2021) : Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav (June 12, 2019) : Member of the Order for Exceptional Merits (September 21, 2021) : Collar of the Order of Civil Merit (June 8, 2021) : Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim (June 14, 2019) Other awards Atlantic Council: Global Citizen Awards (September 19, 2017) : Gold Olympic Order (August 30, 2018) Time: One of the 100