Hangeul is perhaps the most scientific system of writing in general use in any country.

Edwin O. Reischauer (1960/ Professor, Harvard University, USA, an historian in East Asian Affairs.)
Source from East Asia : The Great Tradition, 1960

Whether or not it is ultimately the best of all conceivable scripts for Korean, Hangeul must be unquestionably ranked as one of the greatest intellectual achievements of humankind.

Geoffrey Sampson (1985/ Professor of Natural Language Computing, University of Sussex, Linguist.)
Source from Writing systems : A linguistic introduction, 1990

 ”I take it for granted that the academic world of linguistics praise and celebrate Hangeul Day as a holiday. So I’ve been celebrating Hangeul Day every year for more than 20 years.”

 -The Biblical Meaning of Hangeul(2005) p.26 from the body, Jeon Taekbu. 
J.D. McCawley (Professor, University of Chicago, Linguist. He has celebrated Hangeul Day with his fellow linguists for more than 20 years.)

 
“Hangeul is the most developed phonemic alphabet and also feature characters that are much better than Roman characters.”

Hiroyuki Umeda (Former Professor of University of Tokyo, President of Reitaku University, Japan)
- Digital Hangeul Museum > Future Room> Globalization of Hangeul (2007-09-15)
   http://www.hangeulmuseum.org/sub/future/world/foreign_study01.jsp

Korean Hangeul is the long-waited perfect script.

 John Man (Science historian, UK, traveler, documentary director)
- Alpha Beta: How 26 Letters shaped the Western World, 2000.
 

“King Sejong systematized the phonological theory five centuries earlier than the West which completed its phonological theory in the twentieth century. Hangeul is the best alphabet in the world which combines the traditional philosophy and the science theory.”

 Werner Sasse (Professor, University of Hamburg)
- Digital Hangeul Museum > Future Room> Globalization of Hangeul (2007-09-15)
  http://www.hangeulmuseum.org/sub/future/world/foreign_study01.jsp

“The King’s 28 letters have been described by scholars as the world’s best alphabet and the most scientific system of writing.”

Jared Diamond (Physiologist, Medical College of UCLA, Pulitzer Prize winner)
- Science magazine <Discovery>, June 1994

“Hangeul is simple, tactic, minute and easy Korean alphabet. The reason why the number of Hangeul learners is increasing in China is not only because the presence of Korea in the Chinese culture has rose but also because its outstanding phonemic structure makes it easier for the Chinese to learn Korean. The scholars of Joseon Dynasty accomplished what Chinese could not by transcribing Chinese sound of Chinese characters with a phonogram ‘Hunminjeongeum.’ Hangeul put a period to the history of Chinese language which had been delivered only by characters without sound transcription.”

 李得春 (Professor, Yanbian University)
- [The Dong-a Ilbo] ColumnHangeul in the world? Hangeul in the well!(2008-08-18)
  http://www.donga.com/fbin/output?n=200808180093

Differentiated from English and French, Korean is a unique language that can be learned easily. One day is enough to master reading in Korean. Hangeul is a very scientific and convenient alphabet system for communication.”

 Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio (the Nobel Prize winner for literature in 2008)
- Interview article http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2008/12/07/2008120700768.html

Don’t make a hasty movement. Be like a mountain.
Move silently and cautiously

 Yi’s statement to his generals before the battle of Okpo, stressing that they be calm and cautious in battle: The battle of Okpo was the first victory of the Korean Navy and Korean Army since the outbreak of the Imjin War (Okpopawaebyeongjang, May 10, 1592; Yi’s report to the King). 

 ”Your Highness, I still have twelve battleships.”

King Seonjo sent a royal edict to Yi after the Korean Navy under General Won Gyun was nearly annihilated at the battle of Chilcheonllyang, saying “Close the navy. Concentrate on land warfare”. However, Yi strongly insisted that the Korean Navy should be maintained because he knew the importance of the navy better than anyone else. He later added one more ship. The Korean Navy under Yi’s leadership faced hundreds of enemy ships with a force of only thirteen ships, yet triumphed at the battle of Myeongnyang (Yi Chungmugong Haengnok ; Biography of Yi Sun-sin).

“Those who seek death shall live. Those who seek life shall die.”

Yi’s statement to his generals on the eve of the battle of Myeongnyang, stressing that they be mentally strong in battle: On the next day, Yi and his generals desperately fought against overwhelming odds, 13-133 (number of battleships), and triumphed (Nanjung Ilgi, September 15, 1597; Yi’s war diary). 

 ”We are at the height of battle. Don’t let anybody know about my death!”

Yi’s last words: Yi Sun-sin was shot by an enemy bullet in the battle of Noryang against retreating Japanese forces on November 19, 1598. Even in the last moment of his life he was concerned about the war situation. In order to not discourage his soldiers, he said the famous phrase to his oldest son Hoe and his nephew Wan who were at his side. The battle concluded with a Korean victory (Yi Chungmugong Haengnok; Biography of Yi Sun-sin). 

Song of Hansando (Nanjung Ilgi, August 15, 1597)

In the Hansando Island, under the bright moon,
While standing alone on the watchtower over the water,
With a big sword held tightly in my hand,
I am falling into a deep pit of agony,
The melody of a flute from somewhere adds more concern. 

A Night in Hansando

The Sun falls into the vast sea in autumn,
A flock of wild geese, startled by coldness, flies high up into the sky,
During a restless night in agony,
The dawn moon, aloof, sheds light on bows and swords.

The Great Admiral Yi Sun-sin is the man to inspire Koreans in the 21st century. If a foreigner was to come to Korea and ask any Korean on the street, “Who is your greatest hero in Korean history,” one out of three would answer “Yi Sun-sin.” He has been loved by men and women of all ages for many years in Korea. Few historical figures remain as influential in the life of Koreans today as Yi.

To find out more about him, click here.