The present invention relates to a transition metal precursor and to a method for preparing same, wherein the transition metal precursor is used in the preparation of a lithium composite transition metal oxide and is characterized by comprising a composite transition metal compound and a carbohydrate compound which are expressed by the following formula 1, MnaMb(OH1-x)2 (1), where: M is two or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Mn, Al, Cu, Fe, Mg, B, Cr, and the transition metals of period 2; 0.4<=a<=1; 0<=b<=0.6; a+b<=1; and 0<=x<=0.5. The transition metal precursor according to the present invention comprises a particular transition metal compound and a carbohydrate compound such that, in the event of preparing a lithium composite transition metal oxide using the precursor of the present invention, carbon can be positioned inside a particle of the lithium composite transition metal oxide and/or on the surface of a particle of the lithium composite transition metal oxide. Thus, a secondary battery produced in accordance with the present invention can exhibit excellent rate characteristics and have an increased service life.