--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pyongyang possesses thousands of…" description: "\"Pyongyang possesses thousands of artillery pieces 30 miles from Seoul. Just one retaliatory salvo could decimate South Korea's capital.\" — Antony Blinken" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/antony-blinken-6122_artillery_pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artille_42197.jpg" --- # Pyongyang possesses thousands of artillery pieces 30 miles… ![“Pyongyang possesses thousands of artillery pieces 30 miles from Seoul. Just one retaliatory salvo could decimate South Korea's capital.” quote by Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/antony-blinken-6122_artillery_pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artille_42197.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/antony-blinken-6122_artillery_pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artille_42197.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/antony-blinken-6122_artillery_pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artille_42197.jpg) > “Pyongyang possesses thousands of artillery pieces 30 miles from Seoul. Just one retaliatory salvo could decimate South Korea's capital.” [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the strategic vulnerability of Seoul due to its proximity to North Korean artillery, implying that a single coordinated strike could cause catastrophic damage. **In simple terms:** Seoul is within striking range of North Korean artillery. Key Takeaway Proximity creates high risk. Themes Geopolitics Military Strategy Security Dilemma Deterrence Regional Stability Mood Urgent Tense Cautious Type Analytical Warning When to use this quote - Defense planning - Diplomatic negotiations - Crisis simulations - Public safety assessments Key Concepts Artillery Range Retaliatory Capability Capital Vulnerability Practical Applications - Strategic risk assessment - Policy briefings Questions to Reflect On - How does proximity influence deterrence? - What measures can mitigate this risk? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artillery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artillery/) [Korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/korea/) [Pyongyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pyongyang/) ## Related quotes > [“Even in former days, Korea was known as the 'hermit kingdom' for its stubborn resistance to outsiders. And if you wanted to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/even-in-former-days-korea-was-known-as-the-hermit-kingdom-for-its/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“She was a manager at Department Store Number One in Pyongyang, which was regularly featured on the television news, showing shelves laden with colourful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyeonseo-lee/she-was-a-manager-at-department-store-number-one-in-pyongyang-which/) [Hyeonseo Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyeonseo-lee/) > [The accession to power in Pyongyang of Kim Jong Un, son of Kim Jong Il and grandson of Kim Il Sung, is a unique…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-accession-to-power-in-pyongyang-of-kim-jong-un-son-of-kim-jong-il/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [“European who served for many years as a diplomat in Pyongyang, with postings there off and on from the 1970s into the 1990s, likened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-k-martin/european-who-served-for-many-years-as-a-diplomat-in-pyongyang-with/) Bradley K. Martin > [“Playing pool with Korean officials one evening in the Koryo Hotel, which has become the nightspot for foreign businessmen and an increasing number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/playing-pool-with-korean-officials-one-evening-in-the-koryo-hotel/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I brought Muhammad Ali to North Korea in 1995. I tried that once. It didn't work out quite that well for me as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bischoff/i-brought-muhammad-ali-to-north-korea-in-1995-i-tried-that-once-it/) [Eric Bischoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bischoff/) > [In a Pyongyang restaurant, don't ever ask for a doggie bag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-a-pyongyang-restaurant-don-t-ever-ask-for-a-doggie-bag/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“North Korea is a famine state. In the fields, you can see people picking up loose grains of rice and kernels of corn, gleaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/north-korea-is-a-famine-state-in-the-fields-you-can-see-people/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Sooner or later, all talk among foreigners in Pyongyang turns to one imponderable subject. Do the locals really believe what they are told, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/sooner-or-later-all-talk-among-foreigners-in-pyongyang-turns-to-one/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I'll always be on the move for peace in the Korean peninsula. If necessary, I will fly straight to Washington. I will go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moon-jae-in/i-ll-always-be-on-the-move-for-peace-in-the-korean-peninsula-if/) [Moon Jae-in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moon-jae-in/) > [“The North Korean capital, Pyongyang, is a city consecrated to the worship of a father-son dynasty. (I came to think of them, with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-north-korean-capital-pyongyang-is-a-city-consecrated-to-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Among the elite in Pyongyang, one of the most coveted signifiers of status is an electric rice cooker.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaine-harden/among-the-elite-in-pyongyang-one-of-the-most-coveted-signifiers-of/) [Blaine Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaine-harden/) > [My one concern is that Hu Jintao may overestimate how much power China has in Pyongyang. They have - they do have influence, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/my-one-concern-is-that-hu-jintao-may-overestimate-how-much-power/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [Hyesan people have money, the most after those in Pyongyang, because it's near the border with China. Illegal smuggling businesses and Chinese trading companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/hyesan-people-have-money-the-most-after-those-in-pyongyang-because-it/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [“The green spaces in Pyongyang were immense and many in number, but not as immense as the monuments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baldacci/the-green-spaces-in-pyongyang-were-immense-and-many-in-number-but-not/) [David Baldacci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baldacci/) ## More by Antony Blinken > [The late 1990s were really a moment of still tremendous hope and optimism about the relationship between Russia and the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/the-late-1990s-were-really-a-moment-of-still-tremendous-hope-and/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [President Trump should win the Nobel Peace Prize.' It is hard to imagine anyone other than Mr. Trump expressing that sentiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/president-trump-should-win-the-nobel-peace-prize-it-is-hard-to/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [Day by day, we are meant to continue the work of building a nation that better reflects the values, honors the diversity, and lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/day-by-day-we-are-meant-to-continue-the-work-of-building-a-nation/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [It's hard to overstate the lasting harm Mr. Tillerson's tenure will do to America's diplomacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/it-s-hard-to-overstate-the-lasting-harm-mr-tillerson-s-tenure-will-do/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [When we're in the business of picking fights with our allies instead of working with them, that takes away from our strength in dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/when-we-re-in-the-business-of-picking-fights-with-our-allies-instead/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [As Vietnam increasingly opens its doors, it will reap the rewards of progress for its people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/as-vietnam-increasingly-opens-its-doors-it-will-reap-the-rewards-of/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [The liberal order led by the United States favored an open world connected by the free flow of people, goods, ideas and capital, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/the-liberal-order-led-by-the-united-states-favored-an-open-world/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [Without Madeleine Albright, our community of democracies might be smaller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/without-madeleine-albright-our-community-of-democracies-might-be/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [We deal, unfortunately, every single day with leaders of countries who are responsible for actions we find either objectionable or abhorrent, whether it's Vladimir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/we-deal-unfortunately-every-single-day-with-leaders-of-countries-who/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [The National Security Act of 1947 - which established the National Security Council - laid the foundation for a deliberate, multitiered process, managed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/the-national-security-act-of-1947-which-established-the-national/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [In the end, North Korea's conduct may change only when its leadership does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/in-the-end-north-korea-s-conduct-may-change-only-when-its-leadership/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [The contributions of refugees to the diverse mosaic of our nation are undeniable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/the-contributions-of-refugees-to-the-diverse-mosaic-of-our-nation-are/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [President Donald J. Trump was right to strike at the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for using a weapon of mass destruction, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/president-donald-j-trump-was-right-to-strike-at-the-regime-of-syrian/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [It's true that no policy fully survives first contact. But if you don't spend time anticipating the shots you are likely to take, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/it-s-true-that-no-policy-fully-survives-first-contact-but-if-you-don/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [If Xi Jinping is the world's most powerful man, conventional wisdom puts Vladimir Putin a close second. He's made his own bare-chested virility synonymous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/if-xi-jinping-is-the-world-s-most-powerful-man-conventional-wisdom/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) [Explore all 100 Antony Blinken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) ## More Artillery quotes > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The epic disappeared along with the age of personal heroism; there can be no epic with artillery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-epic-disappeared-along-with-the-age-of-personal-heroism-there-can/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [Think you a little din can daunt mine ears? Have I not in my time heard lions roar? Have I not heard the sea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/think-you-a-little-din-can-daunt-mine-ears-have-i-not-in-my-time/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except his beasts and his weapons. He serves as least three jealous gods-his horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/no-one-accuses-the-gunner-of-maudlin-affection-for-anything-except/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Blessed be those happy ages that were strangers to the dreadful fury of these devilish instruments of artillery, whose inventor I am satisfied is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/blessed-be-those-happy-ages-that-were-strangers-to-the-dreadful-fury/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [“Shamu and I have arrived safely in Costa Rica. He was stopped by airport security because he carries enough artillery in his pants pockets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/shamu-and-i-have-arrived-safely-in-costa-rica-he-was-stopped-by/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [Great battles are won with artillery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/great-battles-are-won-with-artillery/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“Artillery fire is cheap, American lives are priceless”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-babcock/artillery-fire-is-cheap-american-lives-are-priceless/) Robert Babcock > [We now demand the light artillery of the intellect; we need the curt, the condensed, the pointed, the readily diffused -- in place of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/we-now-demand-the-light-artillery-of-the-intellect-we-need-the-curt/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Artillery is more essential to cavalry than to infantry, because cavalry has no fire for its defence, but depends on the sabre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/artillery-is-more-essential-to-cavalry-than-to-infantry-because/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Expressive glances Shall be our lances And pops of Sillery Our light artillery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/expressive-glances-shall-be-our-lances-and-pops-of-sillery-our-light/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Fortifications, artillery, foreign aid - will be of no value, unless the ordinary soldier knows that it is HE guarding his country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-gustaf-emil-mannerheim/fortifications-artillery-foreign-aid-will-be-of-no-value-unless-the/) Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim > [Marines have a cynical approach to war. They believe in three things; liberty, payday and that when two Marines are together in a fight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-pyle/marines-have-a-cynical-approach-to-war-they-believe-in-three-things/) [Ernie Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-pyle/) > [We can't discount how scary and shaken not just the Turkish government is, but Turkish society is. Imagine if you had some rump group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-can-t-discount-how-scary-and-shaken-not-just-the-turkish/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I will not avoid doing what I think is right, though it should draw on me the whole artillery that falsehood and malice can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/i-will-not-avoid-doing-what-i-think-is-right-though-it-should-draw-on/) [William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/) [Browse all 134 Artillery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artillery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pyongyang possesses thousands of artillery pieces 30 miles from Seoul. Just one retaliatory salvo could decimate South Korea's capital.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Antony Blinken" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artillery-pieces-30-miles-from-seoul/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artillery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artillery-pieces-30-miles-from-seoul/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/antony-blinken-6122_artillery_pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artille_42197.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/antony-blinken-6122_artillery_pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artille_42197.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/antony-blinken-6122_artillery_pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artille_42197.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Pyongyang possesses thousands of artillery pieces 30 miles from Seoul. Just one retaliatory salvo could…” — Antony Blinken", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Antony Blinken", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Pyongyang possesses thousands of artillery pieces...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artillery-pieces-30-miles-from-seoul/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/pyongyang-possesses-thousands-of-artillery-pieces-30-miles-from-seoul/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```