A popular war diary of an ancient Korean admiral who fought against Japan has been translated into Russian for the first time.
Oleg Pirojenko, second secretary working at the Russian Embassy in Seoul, recently completed his five-year translation work of the “Nanjung Ilgi,” a handwritten journal of Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
Yi is one of the most respected figures for Koreans, leading a number of winning battles against Japanese naval troops.
The diary features notes on his thoughts and activities during the Japanese invasions of 1592-1598.
It was included in the list of the UNESCO’s Memory of the World documents in 2013.
“Adm. Yi is one of the most outstanding figures in the annals of the world. He was full of patriotism and very thoughtful,” Pirojenko said in an interview.
Pirojenko studied the Korean language at the Institute of Asian and African Studies in Moscow State University. He worked at the Russian Embassy in Seoul for three years starting in 2006. He returned to the embassy in February.
“The Nanjung Ilgi is a journal well showing not only Yi Sun-sin’s activity but also his personality,” he said.
He said he became extremely interested in Yi due to his statue in Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul.
It took a lot of time to translate the diary, however, as it was difficult to understand words related to the life of Koreans in the 1500s, he added. (Yonhap)
