A 13-ship Joseon fleet under Admiral Yi Sun-sin repelled a vastly superior Japanese naval force, preventing seaborne support for Japan's land advance on the Korean capital.
Key Facts
- Joseon ships
- 13 ships
- Japanese ships (combat)
- 120–133 ships
- Japanese ships (total)
- up to 330 ships
- Japanese ships sunk or crippled
- 31 ships
- Approximate numerical ratio
- at least 10 to 1 in Japan's favor
- Japanese commander wounded
- Tōdō Takatora
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following Admiral Wŏn Kyun's catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Chilcheollyang, the Joseon navy was reduced to only 13 ships. The Japanese fleet was advancing along the western coast of Korea to provide naval support for their land army's push toward the capital Hanyang (modern Seoul), threatening the collapse of Korean naval resistance.
On October 26, 1597, Admiral Yi Sun-sin used the narrow Myeongnyang Strait near Jindo Island to neutralize the Japanese fleet's numerical advantage. The constricted waters prevented the Japanese from deploying their full force simultaneously. Yi's 13 vessels engaged a Japanese fleet of at least 120 warships in combat, sinking or crippling 31 enemy ships and wounding the Japanese commander Tōdō Takatora.
The battle ended as a decisive naval defeat for Japan, halting their fleet's support mission and dealing a blow to their campaign strategy. Despite the victory, the Joseon navy remained heavily outnumbered, so Admiral Yi withdrew to the Yellow Sea to resupply and maintain a mobile defense. The Japanese fleet subsequently raided the western Korean coast near islands in modern Yeonggwang County.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Yi Sun-sin.
Side B
1 belligerent
Tōdō Takatora.