Obama asks geography bee question

President Obama surprised contestants at the 2012 National Geographic Bee by asking them a question on the location of a recent nuclear summit.

"Before I give you my answer, I want to congratulate all the students who are participating in this competition," Obama said in a video appearance to the ten student competitors before asking the question. "The study of geography is about more than just memorizing places on a map. It's about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across continents. And in the end, it's about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together."

"Now my answer: in March, I met with leaders of more than 50 countries at the nuclear security summit ... This Asian capital city located on the Han river hosted the meeting," Obama asked.

Jeopardy host Alex Trebek, also acting as host of the bee, took issue with Obama's phrasing of the question.

"You will all have noticed, ladies and gentlemen, that the president said, 'my answer.' Is it just my imagination or did the president of the United States just do a very sublte audition for a future job as the host of a very popular quiz show?" Trebek said, noting that contestants did not have to phrase the answer in the form of a question, unlike on Jeopardy.

The bee airs tonight on the National Geographic Channel. The answer to Obama's question is after the jump.

Answer: Seoul