Commander Yi Sun-sin Statue Doesn't Look Korean?

If you have done a sightseeing tour of downtown Seoul, then you have probably snapped a picture of the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin.  He is Korea's most famous military leader and fought off Japanese invaders in the 16th century.  The statue is currently being repaired in a factory in Incheon, and many Koreans want to see the image of the statue altered to possibly more reflect his Korean heritage before the statue is put back.

Source in the LA Times:

Reporting from Seoul — For four decades, the statue of Adm. Yi Sun-sin has gazed out from its pedestal in downtown Gwanghwamun Plaza, sheathed sword clutched proudly in the fighter's right hand as he grasps the waistcoat of his battle uniform with the other.

The Joseon Dynasty naval commander who notched several victories over Japanese invaders in the late 16th century is considered, hands down, Korea's greatest hero, rating numerous commemorative landmarks nationwide.

Here in the capital, residents and tourists alike gaze in awe at Yi's towering effigy, with its backdrop of the presidential residence and northern mountains in the distance.

But not everyone approves.

Those critical of the statue ask: Isn't the admiral's armor, which hangs down to his feet, more Chinese in style? And the sword, they say, looks much more Japanese than Korean.

Perhaps worst of all, they note, Yi holds the sword sheath in his right hand, which in the Joseon era could have been considered a sign of defeat, not glorious victory.

A battle of words recently has raged in South Korea as historians and civic activists have called for the government to revise the statue. Defenders say the admiral is fine just the way he is. He reflects the artistic interpretation of the 1960s, they say.

Many observers point out that the controversy is driven by the power of national icons to affect new generations of admirers. But dissatisfied critics of the statue contend that the inaccuracies are comparable to having the Washington Mall's Abraham Lincoln clutch a Confederate flag.

I hardly doubt they are the same.  Considering China and Japan have always been larger and more influencial military powers in the world, is it not possible anyways that Admiral Yi did wear armor that was influenced by the Chinese and did use a sword influenced by the Japanese?  Those guys knew what they were doing.

[...] Statue detractors point to other problems: Yi's face is different from the portrait displayed in the admiral's memorial complex in his hometown and on the 100-won coin. Also, a war drum lying at his feet doesn't fit the image of a courageous battle leader. [...]

Defenders of Yi's statue are equally passionate.

"When the statue was first commissioned, it was made by the current standards and practices, the historical perception at that time," said historian Hwang Pyung-woo, director of the Korea Cultural Heritage Policy Research Institute. "Even bad history is history. We should leave it like it is."

Hwang, though, has his own issues with Yi's statue, which he says should sit on the road named after the wartime hero, not at the current site, which actually commemorates Joseon Dynasty ruler King Sejong. But Hwang calls those qualms minor. [...]

Hwang says the complaints about the statue sully Yi's legacy.

"An admiral can have a sword in his right hand; that doesn't mean he's a losing admiral," he said. "And their claims that Yi holds a Japanese sword and is wearing Chinese armor have never been proven. There's not one record to certify this. So I say, stop the finger-pointing."

Still, the spat shows no sign of ending. Critics have asked Seoul officials for an official interpretation and have called for public hearings. [...]

Everybody has on opinion I guess.