1997 in South Korea

Incumbents

• President: Kim Young-sam
• Prime Minister: Lee Soo-sung, Goh Kun

Events

• May 10–19 – The East Asian Games are held in Pusan.
• Korean Air Flight 801.
• 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Births

• January 31 – Cho Mi-yeon, singer and actress, member of girl group (G)I-dle
• February 1 – Jihyo, singer, member of girl group Twice
• February 14 – Jaehyun (singer), singer, member of boy band NCT
• February 18 - DK (singer), singer, member of boy band Seventeen
• March 30 – Cha Eun-woo, singer and actor, member of boy band Astro
• March 31 – Koo Jun-hoe, singer and actor, member of boy band iKon
• April 6 - Mingyu, singer, member of boy band Seventeen
• May 26 – Jeon Ji-won, golfer
• May 30 – Eunha, singer, member of girl group Viviz
• August 13 – Yeo Jin-goo, actor
• September 1 – Jungkook, singer, member of boy band BTS
• October 4 – Yuju, singer
• November 17 – Yugyeom, singer, member of boy group GOT7
• December 1 – Jung Chae-yeon, singer and actress