How thirteen ships defeated a massive fleet in a narrow, treacherous Korean strait

History · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1597, Admiral Yi Sun-sin faced an impossible choice: surrender his remaining thirteen ships or fight a Japanese armada outnumbering him ten-to-one. By masterfully weaponizing the violent currents of the Myeongnyang Strait, Yi turned a desperate last stand into a decisive victory that halted a major invasion.

Following the catastrophic loss of the Joseon fleet at the Battle of Chilcheollyang, Admiral Yi Sun-sin was left with only thirteen warships. The Japanese navy, emboldened by their previous success, aimed to control the Yellow Sea to resupply their land forces as they pushed toward the capital, Hanyang. With the Joseon court in disarray and King Seonjo suggesting the navy be disbanded, Yi famously declared that as long as he lived, the enemy would not dare underestimate his forces.

Yi chose the Myeongnyang Strait for his stand, a location defined by extreme tidal currents reaching approximately 10 knots. He understood that the strait’s narrow geography would act as a force multiplier, preventing the Japanese from flanking his small fleet and forcing them to attack in manageable groups. When the tide shifted during the battle on October 26, 1597, the current turned against the Japanese, causing their ships to collide and drift into the path of Joseon cannon fire.

The engagement was brutal. While Yi’s flagship initially fought alone, the sight of his resilience eventually rallied the rest of his fleet. By the end of the day, 31 Japanese warships were sunk or crippled, and key commanders like Kurushima Michifusa were killed. Although Yi was forced to withdraw due to exhaustion and the overwhelming remaining numbers of the enemy, the Japanese were permanently deterred from entering the Yellow Sea.

While some legends suggest Yi used iron chains to block the strait, his personal war diary makes no mention of such tactics. Instead, the victory is credited to his tactical genius, the strategic use of the environment, and the eventual participation of survivors who returned to the fight. The battle remains a landmark in naval history, frequently compared to the ancient Battle of Salamis for its demonstration of how a smaller, well-led force can overcome a numerically superior adversary.

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