Yi Sun-sin (Admiral)

Yi Sun-sin was a Korean naval commander during the late 16th century, renowned for his leadership in the Imjin War against Japanese invasions. He is best known for his innovative use of turtle ships—armored war vessels that featured a covered deck and were among the first ironclad ships. Yi’s strategic brilliance and inspiring tactics led to several decisive victories, despite often being outnumbered. His most famous battle was the Battle of Myeongnyang in 1597, where he defeated a much larger enemy fleet. Yi is celebrated in Korea as a national hero and symbol of resilience and patriotism.