Yi, Sun-sin (1545–1598)

Korean admiral and national hero who defeated Japanese attempts to invade the country in the late 16th century. His mastery of tactics and use of iron armour on his ships won him a series of decisive victories in 1592, culminating in the destruction of a large Japanese fleet in Pusan by fire-ships. When the Japanese warlord Hideyoshi Toyotomi launched a second invasion in 1597, Yi again triumphed over his navy at the battle of Myongnyang. However, he was killed in one of the final battles of the war, at Kogum-do.

Yi qualified as a military official in 1579 and rose steadily in office. He reorganized the dockyards at Yosu and gained command of the navy in 1592. Between the two invasions, he fell victim to political court intrigues and was demoted, but was reinstated when the country once again faced a threat from Japan.