A positive electrode including a current collector; a positive active material layer disposed on the current collector; and a coating layer disposed on the positive active material layer. The coating layer includes a binder and a inorganic additive. The binder is a poly(vinylidenefluoride-hexafluoropropylene) copolymer comprising 2 to 16 mole % of hexafluoropropylene. The positive electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery suppresses side-reactions between a positive electrode and an electrolyte, at a high voltage.