Sacheon Bay

Sacheon Bay lies on Korea's southern coast, among tidal channels, islands and coastal settlements. Boats connected communities along the shore, while nearby farmland and marine resources supported local livelihoods. Knowledge of tides and anchorages mattered to movement through these waters.

During the Japanese invasions of Korea, Sacheon's waters became the scene of a naval battle in 1592. A Joseon fleet under Yi Sun-sin and other commanders fought Japanese forces off Sacheon; the engagement is remembered for the use of a turtle ship in combat. The battle brought a sheltered stretch of coast into a war that reached across the peninsula and its surrounding seas.