# General Mandolin Topics > Mandolin Cafe News Discussions >  Report Substantiates North Korea Musical Instrument Concerns

## NewsFetcher

The Mandolin Cafe has posted the following news release:
Report Substantiates North Korea Musical Instrument Concerns

The U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, confirms suspicions the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has engaged in a systematic program involving the hoarding of U.S. and European musical instruments over the past 15 months. 

 

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NOTE: You may use your board membership to comment on news articles published by the Mandolin Cafe. Your comments will appear here and also will be appended to the end of the news article for public viewing. Standard board membership posting guidelines apply.

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Annette Siegel, 

Charlieshafer, 

farmerjones, 

wildpikr

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## spufman

dy where y = r cubed over 3.

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## JPerkins

This is very depressing news. I intended to sign up for the Arristworks banjo track but I think I'll opt for spoons instead.

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## chasray

I can hear it now....Blue Moon Over Pyongyang.

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## Rush Burkhardt

1st Golf, and now acoustic music! Will it never end? Gasp!
 :Popcorn:

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## billkilpatrick

kim wrong-un strikes again ... MAS attack!

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## swampstomper

Speaking of golf (the famous 36 under par on first attempt), you neglected to say that the first time the Dear Leader took a mandolin out of the case he played all Bach's Partitas from memory using stretches and double stops that even Mike Marshall can not attempt.

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## David Smith

Grisman renames EMD to DMZ.

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Ivyguitar

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## Ed Goist

I hope the UN gets involved in this.
I'm pretty sure banjos fall under the international WMD prohibition.

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journeybear

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## M.Marmot

'Old-time and bluegrass music will soon be played on tambourines and spoons.'

Tamborines and spoons! In bluegrass!!

For some folks that'd constitute a scenario even more nefarious than a North Korean inspired drought of instruments.

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## Ole Joe Clark

This is scary, perish the thought of Uncle Pen played on tambourines and spoons.
A well written article, alerting the world to the dubious misdeeds of ole un. If this news article had not been published, at great danger I might add, many a mandolin player would suffer from MAS in vain. 
Stay safe and protect your valuable instruments, if they disappear I'm sure the UN will chastise un and ask him to please stop.

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## goose 2

I predict that the continued practice of increasing the density of banjos in the relatively small country of Noth Korea will ultimately lead to that nations demise.

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journeybear

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## wildpikr

> kim wrong-un strikes again ... MAS attack!


Good one! :Laughing:

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## M.Marmot

It's great that the cafe has now rescinded it's rules against bringing up 'hot-button topics' and is leading the way by posting this exceptional exposé.

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## wildpikr

> 'Old-time and bluegrass music will soon be played on tambourines and spoons.'
> 
> Tamborines and spoons! In bluegrass!!
> 
> For some folks that'd constitute a scenario even more nefarious than a North Korean inspired drought of instruments.



And don't forget jaw harps and triangles...the technique, tips and tricks to improvisation videos...how to play faster...the search for vintage , uh, instruments...the gut-wrenching possibilities are endless...bwaahahahaaaa! :Chicken:

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## Steve Ostrander

North Korea is hoarding banjos, and people are alarmed? We should be applauding!! :Wink:

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Rush Burkhardt

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## journeybear

This is not a hoax. I got an email the other day - mixed in with the notices of lottery winnings and pleas for help from Nigerian princes - offering me $1.75 million for my mandolin in order to help out with a program dedicated to enriching the cultural education of North Korean school children. All they asked in return was to help defray shipping and handling costs by sending $650. This seemed an honorable cause, and, since my prime directive is furthering mandolin consciousness, it behooved me to spring into action. I sent them my beater.

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Ed Goist

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## dj coffey

I don't know...I smell an April Fools Joke.

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## Ed Rosney

The article omitted that fact that, as a result of this development, North Korea is changing the country's official name from Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Guitars Don't Always Electrify (GDAE).

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## mandobutter

Man you got me good!
As crazy as it sounds a banjo and mandolin in the hands of all North Koreans could actually bring about peace and free thought and expression.That would be the end of the North Korean regime. I say lets make it happen,but with cheap imports only. I will take a North Korea full of banjos and mandolins:mandosmiley over bombs any day. :Mandosmiley:

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## farmerjones

THANK YOU ! ! !! ! !  !

 I waited and waited for the annual unveiling. WooHOO!!!!!

Wow! Someting tells me that's Stan's er' uh, cave. 

You want banjo?
How 'bout, Dennis Rodman playing this pre-war top tension! ! ! ! !

Do you suppose a sniffer dog would survive that room, or would that be animal cruelty?

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## mtm

it was hook, line, and sinker for me ...  until DJs post and then...  dang, they GOT ME !!!

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## Mark Wilson

TBH, I was way deep into it before it hit me.  

You guys could write for the Onion!

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## NursingDaBlues

Fell for it...HL&S.

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## David L

So now it will be patriotic to buy more instruments! What better excuse do you need?

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## stringdoggy

supreme leader knows not what he has unleashed. First mandolins, then banjos. With that much joy, the old regime can't stand long.

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## billkilpatrick

8:o'clock here in italy - 4 more hours to go to april 2 ...

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## Larry Simonson

Very clever!  I have witnessed several of your 1st of April "News" items so this one didn't fool me like I am used to.  Now, I can't wait till next year to see what you come up with top this.  

Above spufman "wrote "dy where y = r cubed over 3."  Did you mean 'u' instead of 'y' ?

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## JEStanek

If Dennis Rodman hadn't brought that Loar Mandolin with him last year, none of this would have happened.  Sad day for us. Good day for accordion manufacturers.

Jamie

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## MysTiK PiKn

Such an interesting event.  Can you see the world where competition for infinite joy is the purpose of all policies, laws, activities, foreign policies?  If so, tell me how politicians represent our genuine needs and interests.  And what truths do we truthfully believe? The pursuit of love, peace, and happiness - what's money got to do with all that?  And who can own it? And what if there had been a war where nobody showed up cos we all went to a bluegrass festival, complete with 'parking lot jam', instead - following our genuine creative interests.  Such utter savagery.  I gotta go pikn, see if I can get to the bottom of this.  Mandos save the world - ooohhhhmmmm - meditating - ooohhhhmmmmm. Oh, that in "G" btw.  :Mandosmiley:   Compulsory mandolin lessons; whenever you feel like it. 

It seems we took a wrong turn somewhere.

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## aircooled

I remember a similar, panicky response about 30 years ago when Japan was on the rise as a global economic power. Japanese buyers were spotted at American guitar shows with lists of desired instruments and were paying top dollar. Like any other commodity,  these instruments will resurface when the market dictates they should, as happened with Japan's stash when the economy soured. 

BTW, has anyone else noticed how easy it would have been to Photoshop Dear Leader into this image? Happy April 1!

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## billkilpatrick

another half hour to go here in italy and then all this 1/4 stuff will seem like a bad dream ...

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## Jeff Hildreth

Bad photoshop job.

The shadows are incorrect.

Fun otherwise.

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## cvn65pc1@gmail.com

We will see what headlines read on the 2nd good one.

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## Steve Erbe

There is an ulterior motive. Any country he threatens to attack with missiles full of Banjos is sure to Kowtow to him.

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## Con Dowd

I've been expeimenting with mando / banjo builds made from depleted uranium. They are durable, impervious to temperature and humidity extremes. And... they stay in tune. The only problem I'm having with the manufacturing process is disposal of scrap. I can get several dozen mandos or one banjo from the depleted uranium loged in just one Iraqui- Imperial Guard surplus tank. If you could inform the Royal, Imperial, Eternal, his majesty, Kim Jong-un of this "WIN-WIN" opportunity, we all benefit. Offer includes... :Mandosmiley:  The instruments, left over scrap, rolls of aluminum foil (for the hats), and a "D U mandolin?" T-shirt 2x... asking Three Quarters of a Billion USD... firm. Buyer assumes shipping. PayPal only.   

Thanks...

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## John McCoy

:Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Laughing:

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## dobrojay

Not a good idea should they be top notch USA built instruments of vintage nature.
instruments built in the last 40 years will never reach vintage stature so they will not be sorely missed. these  may take care of the supply and demand..    dobrojay

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## Ron McMillan

As if anyone cares, the Korean script in the background of the photograph reads '_Cham Kay Ramyun_' - from an instant noodle packet.

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John McCoy

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## journeybear

Oh, some of us care, all right. Just maybe not all that much.  :Wink:  Still, it's good to see an effort was made to include actual Korean characters. So to speak.  :Whistling:

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## Jim Garber

I was just watching a video on the New Yorker site about KJU and North Korea and they flashed on this photo. Pretty strange...

And this is not an April Fool's photo.

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## Jess L.

> I was just watching a video on the New Yorker site about KJU and North Korea and they flashed on this photo. Pretty strange...
> 
> And this is not an April Fool's photo.





> 



Mentioned in a different thread last year too.  :Smile:  At that time, I speculated that based on the shape of the peghead and tuners, it might be some sort of indigenous instrument as in this video - *fast forward to 3:12*, also *solo at 3:35*: 



_(or direct link)_

Nice music, but I don't understand the facial expressions. Is that look of agony a normal feature of classical music? (Just asking, I have no idea.) I suppose I'd appear in agony too if I had to play while sitting there wearing a tight skirt *and* singing at the same time.  :Whistling:

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## Jeff Hildreth

Look behind you, there is an accordion breathing down their necks.

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Jess L.

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## Jess L.

> Look behind you, there is an accordion breathing down their necks.


Lol yeah that too!  :Laughing:

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## Bertram Henze

> Is that look of agony a normal feature of classical music?


200mg of MiraLax each would explain the faces and the moves.

Or... it's a feature of drama, connected with a plot that involves a helicopter on a mountain. Now which choice seems to make more sense?

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## Jim Garber

It is called an oungum and was invented by Kim Jong-Il when he was in college in the 1960s to be the North Korean national instrument. It is related to the Bipa, a Korean instrument like the Chinese pipa or the Japanese biwa.

Here’s a polka-like tune we could all learn on Mandolin  :Smile:

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Jess L.

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## Jess L.

> 200mg of MiraLax each would explain the faces and the moves.
> 
> Or... it's a feature of drama, connected with a plot that involves a helicopter on a mountain. Now which choice seems to make more sense?


Lol.  :Laughing:  I'm not up-to-date on popular entertainment though, is the plot you mention one of those all-purpose alien-invader sasquatch mummy UFO mob-conspiracy world-takeover creature-from-the-deep illuminati shape-shifting government-conspiracy shows?  :Wink:  (trying to cover all the bases there)  :Laughing:   :Grin:   :Smile:

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## Jess L.

> It is called an oungum and was invented by Kim Jong-Il when he was in college in the 1960s to be the North Korean national instrument. It is related to the Bipa, a Korean instrument like the Chinese pipa or the Japanese biwa.


Thanks for the info!  :Smile: 




> Heres a polka-like tune we could all learn on Mandolin


Most of the kids are playing so high up the neck, seems like it'd make more sense to just have a shorter-scale instrument, but heck what do I know. Anyway, the music reminds me of something... can't quite place _what_ yet... I keep thinking of 1960s American TV (maybe a commercial/ad? or a show?) but maybe it's something else. Talented kids, in any case.

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## Bertram Henze

JL, I don't know the details, but the helicopter is seen behind the orchestra, and I guess it's a variation of hero soldier flying over the enemy's lines on a shell he's tied himself to and punching their general in the face, causing their troops to run in terror...

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Jess L.

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## Jess L.

> .... the helicopter is seen behind the orchestra, ...


Good eye! I hadn't even noticed that. 

Ordinarily I'm pretty good at seeing background stuff, sometimes more than the foreground, but that video had so much bizarre detail going on in the foreground that I never even noticed the helicopter.

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## Jim Garber

Music reminds me of Lawrence Welk Show.

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Jess L.

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## Jess L.

> Music reminds me of Lawrence Welk Show.


Ah yes that's the one... I knew it reminded me of _something_ 1960s but I couldn't quite place it. Thanks!  :Smile:

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## bratsche

These videos are so creepy.  Not only do the players play their instruments and sing in unison, but their every gesture is in unison.... every breath, body angle, tilt of the shoulders, facial expression, all in synch together, all robotically orchestrated and executed.  Even the kids do it.  Shudder.  These _are_ human beings, I think, aren't they?

bratsche

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## Jess L.

> These videos are so creepy.  Not only do the players play their instruments and sing in unison, but their every gesture is in unison.... every breath, body angle, tilt of the shoulders, facial expression, all in synch together, all robotically orchestrated and executed.  Even the kids do it. ...


One wonders what their sheet music looks like... perhaps there are special new symbols or abbreviations for each different type of body movement & facial expression, written right into the sheet music...  :Whistling:

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## RustyPickup

> It is called an oungum and was invented by Kim Jong-Il when he was in college in the 1960s to be the North Korean national instrument. It is related to the Bipa, a Korean instrument like the Chinese pipa or the Japanese biwa.
> 
> Heres a polka-like tune we could all learn on Mandolin


Actually, it is sort of an intriguing instrument. Do you know how it is tuned? There is very little about it on the web, or in any books on Asian instruments that I've looked at. And unlike the pipa or zhong ruan (and the so-called moon-guitar) it apparently has a flat fretboard. Interesting.

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## Bertram Henze

> One wonders what their sheet music looks like... perhaps there are special new symbols or abbreviations for each different type of body movement & facial expression, written right into the sheet music...


 :Smile:  :Smile: - :Mandosmiley:  :Mandosmiley: - :Crying:  :Crying: - :Cow:  :Cow: :|

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Jess L.

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## Jess L.

> ---:|


Lol!  :Laughing:  Good one, Bertram.  :Smile:

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