--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They're very dogmatic. The North Koreans…" description: "\"They're very dogmatic. The North Koreans, they are very programmed, they have their policy statements they don't want to diverge from. They're very doc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/103/bill-richardson-11674_north-korean_they-re-very-dogmatic-the-north-koreans_2086129.jpg" --- # They're very dogmatic. The North Koreans, they are very… ![“They're very dogmatic. The North Koreans, they are very programmed, they have their policy statements they don't want to diverge from. They're very doctrinaire. They don't negotiate like others -- quid pro quo.” quote by Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/103/bill-richardson-11674_north-korean_they-re-very-dogmatic-the-north-koreans_2086129.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/103/bill-richardson-11674_north-korean_they-re-very-dogmatic-the-north-koreans_2086129.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/103/bill-richardson-11674_north-korean_they-re-very-dogmatic-the-north-koreans_2086129.jpg) > “They're very dogmatic. The North Koreans, they are very programmed, they have their policy statements they don't want to diverge from. They're very doctrinaire. They don't negotiate like others -- quid pro quo.” [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes North Korean policy as rigid, doctrinaire, and lacking flexibility in negotiations. **In simple terms:** North Korea is inflexible and dogmatic. Key Takeaway Expect limited negotiation leverage with rigid regimes. Themes politics negotiation authoritarianism Mood analytical pragmatic Type political strategic When to use this quote - diplomacy - policy planning - conflict resolution Key Concepts realpolitik policy analysis strategic communication Questions to Reflect On - What strategies could break diplomatic deadlocks? - How can one engage with doctrinaire actors? A Different Perspective Even rigid regimes may have hidden negotiation points. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/korea/) [Koreans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/koreans/) [North korean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-korean/) [Quid pro quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quid-pro-quo/) ## Related quotes > [The remarkable thing about the Chinese is that they've operated differently than the Russians, the Iranians, and the North Koreans. By and large, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/the-remarkable-thing-about-the-chinese-is-that-they-ve-operated/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [North Koreans have a long history of promises made and then broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mast/north-koreans-have-a-long-history-of-promises-made-and-then-broken/) [Brian Mast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mast/) > [“If North Koreans paused to contemplate the obvious inconsistencies and lies in what they were told, they would find themselves in a dangerous place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-demick/if-north-koreans-paused-to-contemplate-the-obvious-inconsistencies/) [Barbara Demick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-demick/) > [We are hopeful that the North Koreans can show a little bit more realism, a little bit more flexibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-reiss/we-are-hopeful-that-the-north-koreans-can-show-a-little-bit-more/) [Mitchell Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-reiss/) > [If the United States is accommodating, the North Koreans become accommodating. If the United States is hostile, they become hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-the-united-states-is-accommodating-the-north-koreans-become/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Like every country, North Korea has some very smart people. They could be contributing a lot more to science and other areas, but North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/like-every-country-north-korea-has-some-very-smart-people-they-could/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [We want to have diplomatic engagement with the North Koreans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-ortagus/we-want-to-have-diplomatic-engagement-with-the-north-koreans/) [Morgan Ortagus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-ortagus/) > [I think the notion of getting the North Koreans to denuclearize is probably a lost cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-think-the-notion-of-getting-the-north-koreans-to-denuclearize-is/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [In North Koreans, the moment we are born, we don't know there's another life existing outside of our country. The regime always told us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/in-north-koreans-the-moment-we-are-born-we-don-t-know-there-s-another/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [Some day, somebody is going to have to start talking about what happens to us all a decade from now if we let these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/some-day-somebody-is-going-to-have-to-start-talking-about-what/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [Yes, I don't believe that the inter-Korean relationship has, quote, 'deteriorated' since I assumed office. Rather I believe that the relationship between the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-myung-bak/yes-i-don-t-believe-that-the-inter-korean-relationship-has-quote/) [Lee Myung-bak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-myung-bak/) > [“Kim Jong-il also invented the hamburger. Almost touchingly, North Koreans have a lot of pride in their heritage, though it’s for absurd reasons. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euny-hong/kim-jong-il-also-invented-the-hamburger-almost-touchingly-north/) [Euny Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euny-hong/) > [The North Koreans or Chinese may have a million men in uniform but it's about how you perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/the-north-koreans-or-chinese-may-have-a-million-men-in-uniform-but-it/) [Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/) > [Again, I think we have much greater diplomatic weight by having all of us sit on the same side of the table wanting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-reiss/again-i-think-we-have-much-greater-diplomatic-weight-by-having-all-of/) [Mitchell Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-reiss/) > [“After years in the Chinese workforce, I had developed an emotional attachment to money. My earnings were my hard work and long hours; my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyeonseo-lee/after-years-in-the-chinese-workforce-i-had-developed-an-emotional/) [Hyeonseo Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyeonseo-lee/) ## More by Bill Richardson > [Every dollar governors are forced to cut out of our budgets is a dollar that's not going into the economy. . . . Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/every-dollar-governors-are-forced-to-cut-out-of-our-budgets-is-a/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [Recognizing and preventing men's health problems is not just a man's issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men's health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/recognizing-and-preventing-men-s-health-problems-is-not-just-a-man-s/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [Few needs are more pressing, or more deserving of our attention, than taking care of the men and women of the U.S. armed forces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/few-needs-are-more-pressing-or-more-deserving-of-our-attention-than/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [Well, does he still have his fingernails? Making inquiries while negotiating the release of a US Army pilot from North Korea, in Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/well-does-he-still-have-his-fingernails-making-inquiries-while/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [So what if it's risky? It's the right thing to do. What we're talking about is 160 people in deep pain. It only affects them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/so-what-if-it-s-risky-it-s-the-right-thing-to-do-what-we-re-talking/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [You can count on time for two things. One is that it will pass. The other is that it will never shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/you-can-count-on-time-for-two-things-one-is-that-it-will-pass-the/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [“The conversation progressed, bumper-car style, to a very heated discussion about death and the survival of the soul. It amazes me that we, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/the-conversation-progressed-bumper-car-style-to-a-very-heated/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [You have a 12-foot fence. You know what'll happen? Thirteen foot ladders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/you-have-a-12-foot-fence-you-know-what-ll-happen-thirteen-foot-ladders/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [When did "sentimental" become a pejorative barb? I do not at all share the notion that a piece of music, or a poem, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/when-did-sentimental-become-a-pejorative-barb-i-do-not-at-all-share/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [The smartest thing we can do to create high-wage jobs and grow our economy is to keep our focus on education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/the-smartest-thing-we-can-do-to-create-high-wage-jobs-and-grow-our/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [The President, in talking about freedom and democracy, is sparking a wave of very positive democratic sentiment that might help us override both Islamic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/the-president-in-talking-about-freedom-and-democracy-is-sparking-a/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [I would have troops where they’re wanted, in our bases in Kuwait. I would have a contingency in case of an international terrorist attack.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/i-would-have-troops-where-they-re-wanted-in-our-bases-in-kuwait-i/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [Had I stayed longer in some primaries, I would have probably done better in states like Nevada, California, and New Mexico - but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/had-i-stayed-longer-in-some-primaries-i-would-have-probably-done/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [The United States is for a two-state solution. The United States wants to see the Israelis and Palestinians come together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/the-united-states-is-for-a-two-state-solution-the-united-states-wants/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [We're a superpower with a Third World grid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/we-re-a-superpower-with-a-third-world-grid/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) [Explore all 58 Bill Richardson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) ## More Dogmatic quotes > [We live in a world where it has become politically correct to avoid absolutes. Many want all religions to be given the same honor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-in-a-world-where-it-has-become-politically-correct-to-avoid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dogmatic religion has been used to fantastic effect over thousands of years to fuel and exploit emotions like fear and guilt, and the feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/dogmatic-religion-has-been-used-to-fantastic-effect-over-thousands-of/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [I am not religious in the dogmatic sense ... I neither believe nor disbelieve in anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/i-am-not-religious-in-the-dogmatic-sense-i-neither-believe-nor/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [You find this curious fact, that the more intense has been the religion of any period and more profound has been the dogmatic belief,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/you-find-this-curious-fact-that-the-more-intense-has-been-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It did not come naturally; in fact, it would be difficult to conceive of any more dogmatic and less tolerant people than the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harris/it-did-not-come-naturally-in-fact-it-would-be-difficult-to-conceive/) [Paul Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harris/) > [Leaders are not dogmatic. They are principled and know that change is never easy, but when it's necessary, they must lead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/leaders-are-not-dogmatic-they-are-principled-and-know-that-change-is/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [The dogmatic and, therefore, invulnerable core in Islam is understandably simple: acknowledgement of faith, prayer, charity and fasting. Almost everything else is open to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/the-dogmatic-and-therefore-invulnerable-core-in-islam-is/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [It is only the dogmatic, and the humorless, that don't succumb to my charm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vermin-supreme/it-is-only-the-dogmatic-and-the-humorless-that-don-t-succumb-to-my/) [Vermin Supreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vermin-supreme/) > [Feminism is not here to dictate to you. It’s not prescriptive, it’s not dogmatic. All we are here to do is give you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/feminism-is-not-here-to-dictate-to-you-it-s-not-prescriptive-it-s-not/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [Why are people so concerned with relativism? If you look back in history, millions of people were killed because of someone's dogmatic views, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/why-are-people-so-concerned-with-relativism-if-you-look-back-in/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [On the conservative side, today's libertarianism is far more dogmatic and devoid of qualification than the liberalism of Adam Smith or J.S. Mill. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lind/on-the-conservative-side-today-s-libertarianism-is-far-more-dogmatic/) [Michael Lind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lind/) > [It’s time to move the debate past the dogmatic view that carbon dioxide is evil and toward a world view that accepts the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryce/it-s-time-to-move-the-debate-past-the-dogmatic-view-that-carbon/) [Robert Bryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryce/) > [Diplomacy is unfashionable in the world of knee-jerk reaction and the dogmatic sound bite on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-hurd/diplomacy-is-unfashionable-in-the-world-of-knee-jerk-reaction-and-the/) [Douglas Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-hurd/) > [Like our attitude to love, truth and goodness, we seem to be confident about knowing what beauty is - certain, even dogmatic - until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-jencks/like-our-attitude-to-love-truth-and-goodness-we-seem-to-be-confident/) [Charles Jencks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-jencks/) > [“It is my conviction that, with the spread of true scientific culture, whatever may be the medium, historical, philological, philosophical, or physical, through which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/it-is-my-conviction-that-with-the-spread-of-true-scientific-culture/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) Browse all 179 Dogmatic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They're very dogmatic. 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