Joe Biden tempts South Korean President into singing American Pie at White House dinner

Watch the moment Joe Biden invited President Yoon to oblige the crowd with a rendition of American Pie

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol took to the microphone for a rendition of American Pie - one of his favourite songs - at a White House state dinner on Wednesday night.

The President was met with raucous applause after being coaxed into singing by his US counterpart Joe Biden, who was hosting the event.

"We know this is one of your favourite songs," Mr Biden is captured on video saying.

"Well, we want to hear you sing it."

President Yoon replies in Korean: "When I was going to school, that was one of my favorite songs."

Mr Biden then surprised Yoon with the gift of a guitar signed by Don McLean, who wrote American Pie, before telling the crowd: "At the next state dinner we're going to have, you're looking at the entertainment."

Nearly 200 guests were at the dinner, including actor Angelina Jolie, home improvement duo Chip and Joanna Gaines and Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim, Arthur Blank, a co-founder of Home Depot; “Pachinko” author Min Jin Lee; and former Major League Baseball pitcher Chan Ho Park.

Mr Biden hosted Yoon for a state visit at a moment of heightened anxiety over an increased pace of ballistic missile tests by North Korea.

The trip has come with the unveiling of a new plan between both officials to counter North Korea’s nuclear threat, with the US leader issuing a blunt warning that such an attack would “result in the end of whatever regime” took such action.

The new nuclear deterrence effort calls for periodically docking US nuclear-armed submarines in South Korea for the first time in decades, bolstering training between the two countries, and more.

The visit also marks the 70th year of the countries' alliance that began at the end of the Korean War and committed the United States to help South Korea defend itself, particularly from North Korea.

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