“He who Seeks Death Will Live, and He who Seeks Life Will Die.”
On the Morning of September 16th, 1597, the Joseon navy received intelligence that the enemy fleet was moving towards the Myeongnyang Strait, called Uldolmok at the time. The Japanese fleet was trying to pass through the narrow strait located between Haenam and Jindo in South Jeolla Province, which was considered a dangerously narrow path with a length of 2 kilometers. The Joseon navy, consisting of 13 flag ships known as panokseon, was intimidated to see the enemy fleet of 133 ships entering the strait in large groups.

In the midst of turbulence and great peril, Admiral Yi Sun-sin shouted, “He who seeks death will live, and he who seeks life will die.” Moved by Admiral Yi’s words, the Joseon navy braced itself and renewed its attack. Admiral Yi immediately sent a signal to the men hiding at the two ends of the shore, and they began turning a spinning wheel connected to metal chains in the water. The thick chains that had hung loose under the water tightened, blocking the first ship in line from sailing forward. As a result, the strong tide caused the chasing Japanese navy to lose control and collide with each other, and the Joseon forces launched a full-scale attack in a timely manner against the enemy. By strategically luring the Japanese fleet to enter the narrow strait and by using the sea currents to his advantage, the great commander was able to turn a disastrous situation into a sweeping victory.

Admiral Yi Sun-sin and His Achievements
Admiral Yi’s victory at the Battle of Myeongnyang is recognized as one of the greatest naval victories ever achieved in world history. A man of indomitable spirit, Admiral Yi effectively led the numerically and technologically inferior Joseon forces into a one-sided victory by adopting brilliant tactics.

Yi was born on April 28th, 1545 in Geoncheon-dong, Seoul. He began training himself in martial arts at the age of 22, and passed the military examination in 1576 at the age of 32. In 1591, the year before the onset of the Imjin War, Yi was appointed Commander of the Left Jeolla Province Naval District. Yi foresaw the inevitability of war against Japan and prepared for the Japanese invasion by training his soldiers and by building and resurrecting the turtle ship, also known as the Geobukseon. The first ironclad warship in world history, the turtle ship resembled a turtle with a dragon head mounted on the bow. The ship had cannon portholes loaded on the sides as well as in the dragon head’s mouth, and iron spikes covered the top, which prevented the enemy from boarding the ship. The turtle ships were first used at the Battle of Sacheon and were considered the most effective instrument, responsible for many naval victories including the Battle of Hansando and the Battle of Busanpo. In 1593, Yi was appointed head admiral of three provinces and died from a bullet wound in the Battle of Noryang in 1598. Yi’s miraculous achievements are recorded in the Nanjung Ilgi, or the War Diary of Yi Sun-sin, penned by Yi himself, which details the history of political and military affairs that took place between 1592 and 1598. The epitome of a relentless spirit, Yi managed to maintain an impeccable battle record of 23 victories out of 23 naval battles. History will forever remember Yi as a hero not only for his victories, but also for his dedication, courage and self-sacrifice that continue to inspire Koreans today.