YI Sun-Sin

A National Hero of Korea, Yi Sun-sin (http://www.koreanhero.net/en/NationalHeroOfKorea.htm)

The history of Yi Sun-Sin was the most revered general and admiral in Korea. He saved Korea by successfully defending it against the Japanese invasion during 7-year- long lmjin War. "His heroic acts and sacrifices on behalf of his country earned him a posthumous title of nobility" (Lee and Lee). Yi Sun-Sin’s "dedication to his nation was unparalleled. He showed this dedication most obviously by committing his life to defend Korea against the Japanese" (koreanhero.net).

Yi Sun-Sin was born in April 28, 1545 in the Hansung (now Seoul) as the third son. His family was very poor, so they decided move to Asan, and when he gets older he married a woman and had three sons and a daughter. A few years later he started training himself to become a military. For example, he learned horseback riding and he studied Confucian classics from an early age. (koreanhero.net).

In 1572 when he was 28, Yi took a National Military Exam, but he failed the first time of exam, because he fell off of his horse and broke his left leg (Lee and Lee), but he doesn’t give up, he worked really hard. After four years later, he took the exam again, and he passed military exam. The times goes by Li became a naval commander. (koreanhero.net).

The Kobukson or "Turtle Ship" (http://www.koreanhero.net/en/TurtleShip.htm)

Yi Sun Sin worked hard and defeated many attackers. In 1592 Yi and his fleet sailed out eastward to meet the Japanese ships in battle for the first time. Few days later, using 24 canon-laden flat bottom warships called Panoksun; Yi Sun-Sun accomplished his first victory over the Japanese navy. In June of the same year Yi had his second confrontation with the Japanese navy. At this time Yi used his Gobuksun turtle ship for the first time. The new Gobuksun helped a lot for defending. In July of that year, Yi and the Japanese clashed for a third time at Hansan Sea. Yi and his forces destroyed 59 of Japanese ships. Toward the end, Yi Sun-Sin was shot in the chest under his left arm, and said his son and his nephew that “Cover my body with shields. The battle is in full swing, do not reveal my death” (Lee and Lee).

(http://www.koreanhero.net/en/NationalHeroOfKorea.htm)

Li possessed many traits that made him a hero. For example, he acted really brave all the time and he never gave up when he broke his leg. He always does his best every single problems. He has changed the world by fighting war during 16 century and save the Korean. Sun-Sin is a hero to me, because there have been many national heroes, but none of them are "compares to Yi Sun-Sin who saved Korea from the brink of collapse during the Japanese invasion of 1592, and he was a truly great commander and a master of the naval tactics of three hundred years ago."