The present invention relates to a cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery, and more particularly, to a cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery, which includes a core portion and a shell portion surrounding the core portion, in which a total content of cobalt in the core portion and the shell portion is 5 to 12 mol %, and the content of cobalt in the core portion and the shell portion is adjusted to be within a predetermined range.
In the cathode active material precursor and the cathode active material for a secondary battery prepared using the same according to the present invention, optimal capacity of a lithium secondary battery may be increased by adjusting the cobalt content in the particles of the cathode active material, and life characteristics may be enhanced by improving stability.