South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's six-day visit to the United States, ended on a high note when he sang Don McLean's "American Pie" at the White House on Wednesday. The impromptu performance by the president surprised everybody present there, including the American President who said he "had no idea" Yoon could sing.
The event took place at the state dining room where Broadway stars Norm Lewis, Lea Salonga and Jessica Vosk sang pieces, including selections from "Les Miserables" and "Funny Girl".
When the performance by the singers ended, Joe Biden pulled Yoon Suk Yeol to the stage and said, "We know this is one of your favorite songs, 'American Pie,'" according to AFP.
"Yes, that's true," the 62-year-old Korean President admitted, saying that he had loved the Don McLean song, released in 1971, since he was at school.
"We want to hear you sing it," said Biden.
"It's been a while but..." Yoon responded, offering only token resistance as he took the microphone.
As soon as Yeol took to the stage and belted out a few lines of the song, the crowd erupted in applause. The South Korean leader is known at home to be something of a karaoke buff and is fond of American music.
After he finished, Biden turned to him and said "I had no damn idea you could sing."
Biden told Yoon that McLean could not be at the White House to join them but had sent a signed guitar, which the US president gifted to the South Korean leader, reported AFP.
Yoon was on six-day state visit to Washington, where he discussed with US President Joe Biden on Wednesday "the end" of any North Korean regime that used nuclear weapons against the allies.