Letting the World Know about Admiral Yi

A project on Admiral Yi Sun-shin (1545-1598) is on full throttle on the Namhae Coast.

The Yeongnam and Honam regions are planning to represent Admiral Yi Sun-shin, the naval battle history during the Japanese invasion in Joseon era, and Geobukseon as world renowned cultural tourist attractions.

Creating Tourism Infrastructure—

Of the three major battles, Hansando, Haengju and Jinju Castle, during the Japanese invasion of the late 16th century, two took place in the Yeongnam region. Two of Admiral Yi’s major naval battles, Hansando and Noryang, also occurred in Yeongnam. The Geobukseon, or turtle shaped ironclad ship, first appeared in Sacheon.

Gyeongnam Province plans to utilize such historical facts, and for the next five years invest an annual amount 60 billion won, or a total of 300 billion won, with 10 cities and counties to build up both the tangible and intangible tourist infrastructure.

Such examples are projected to be: a tour of the Japanese invasion, a re-enactment of the Jinju Castle Battle, construction of a naval battle history museum, a world robot naval battle tournament, a world warship exhibition, the experience of the construction of Geobukseon and Panokseon, and a musical with historical characters represented.

Gyeongnam Namhae-gun, the actual site of the Noryang Naval Battle, plans to set up a sculpture of Admiral Yi at the spot where he perished during the battle.

Gyeongnam Tongyeong City plans to restore a Joseon era naval command called Tongjeyeong, which was critical in naval defense, and create a Tongjeyeong street from Sebyeongkwan (national treasure number 305, a site where government officials lodged) to the old port.

Kim Jong-lim, a Gyeongnam province’s culture and arts division official, commented, “The Admiral Yi Sun-shin project is being pursued with significant consensus with the government. We will organize festivals and develop it into an exemplary model for history-experiencing.”

Geobukseon to Shuttle in Uldolmok-

Uldolmok is the water body between Haenam-gun and Jindo-gun in Jeonnam Province and famous for being the site of Admiral Yi’s Myeongryang naval battle. Haenam-gun plans to start a Geobukseon cruise project here in 2008. The Geobukseon, with a 150-ton capacity, will carry about 100 passengers and shuttle a 15-kilometer course between Usuyeong-Uldolmok- Byeokpajin in an hour.

In addition, it is planned that when the ship passes Uldolmok, the engines will be turned off and it will rely on currents and rowing, allowing the tourists to experience how it actually felt in old times.

Haenam-gun Tourism Development Section Chief Park Nam-jae said, “The highest current velocity in Uldolmok is about 11.5 knots or 21 kilometers per hour, and with currents changing direction twice a day, it is the perfect spot for a cruise. Furthermore, with west and south coast resort cities being near and with tourist attractions in the vicinity such as the Second Jindo Bridge, Chungmu Temple and Manghaeru, more tourists are predicted to come.”

Jindo-gun bought 2,400-pyeong of land around Nokjin-ri, which oversees Uldolmok, for three billion won and plans to create an “Admiral Yi History Park.”

Jeonnam Yeosu City, the headquarters of Jeolla armed forces at the time of the Japanese invasion, created a cyber Geobukseon website at www.gbs.go.kr. It contains information on Geobukseon, naval battles, Admiral Yi Sun-shin, a naval tour and tourism.

The number of visitors surpassed 100,000 in just three months of its opening.

Honam University Tourist Administration Professor Ahn Jong-su said, “With local autonomous authorities competing in making Admiral Yi and the Japanese invasion into tourism products, it might lead to overlapping and the collapse of the synergy effect. In order to make a world renowned cultural tourist attraction, it will be advisable for the authorities to coordinate with each other and focus on their particular part.”

Seung-Ho Jung Jeong-Hoon Kang shjung@donga.com manman@donga.com