Battle of Hansando
Yi Sun-sin lured the Japanese fleet out of the Gyeonnaeryang strait and crushed it off Hansando with his crane-wing formation, closing the western sea route to Japanese supply.
Japan sent Wakizaka Yasuharu and other commanders to the south coast to break the Joseon navy. When Wakizaka’s fleet of some 70 ships anchored in the Gyeonnaeryang strait, Yi Sun-sin judged it too narrow and rocky for his panokseon. On 8 July 1592 he sent a few ships to engage and then feign flight, drawing the enemy out into the open waters off Hansando.
As the Japanese followed, the Joseon fleet closed around them in a semicircle like a crane’s wings and, firing its cannon, destroyed 47 ships and captured 12. Wakizaka barely escaped. Two days later another Japanese fleet was beaten at Angolpo.
The victory ended Japanese plans to supply their armies by sailing round into the Yellow Sea and kept the rice-growing province of Jeolla safe. With Jinju and Haengju it is counted among the three great victories of the war. The next year Yi was made Naval Commander of the Three Provinces.
