“I still have twelve ships!” Admiral Yi Sunshin wrote this in his report to King Seonjo during the Japanese invasion of Korea in the late sixteenth century. His successor lost the majority of Joseon’s naval forces and vessels that Yi had diligently prepared. Then, Yi was reinstituted, but the king ordered to dissolve the navy and join the ground forces. However, Yi responded with determination to defend the nation with his twelve remaining ships by stressing the importance of defending the sea. Without the king and the government’s support, Yi and his followers went to battle with the twelve ships and had a decisive victory against the Japanese naval fleet of 330 ships. The victory in this battle, known as the Battle of Myeongnyang (1597), is considered legendary in Korean and world naval history. Yi Sunshin restored  peace in Asia by winning all of his 23 battles during the Imjin War, the biggest war in northeast Asia at the time, in which Japan devastated Joseon’s territory and the lives of the people. His impressive victory streak resulted from his rigorous training of the navy, building of cutting-edge Geobukseon battleships, and foresighted strategies to defeat Japan. His inventive and highly effective naval battle strategies have been studied by naval historians around the world. Admiral Yi Sunshin is one of the most respected naval heroes, who defended his country and protected peace in Asia.