1997 East Asian Games

{{Infobox games

| name = II East Asian Games

| logo = 1997 Busan.png

| size = 200

| caption =

| host_city = Busan, South Korea

| nations = 9

| athletes = 1283

| events = 13 sports

| opening = May 10, 1997

| closing = May 19, 1997

| opened_by = President Kim Young-sam

| athlete_oath =

| judge_oath =

| torch_lighter =

| stadium = Busan Gudeok Stadium

| next = 2001 Osaka

| previous = 1993 Shanghai

}}

The 2nd East Asian Games were held in Busan, South Korea from May 10 to May 19, 1997.

Originally, the second edition of the East Asian Games was to be held in Pyongyang, North Korea, in September 1995. However, North Korea dropped the games due to the unstable policial situation in the Korean Peninsula.

The 1997 edition featured nine nations competing in events in 13 sports.{{Cite web |date=2010-06-13 |title=Olympic Council of Asia : Games |url=http://www.ocasia.org/Game/GameParticular.aspx?GPCode=41 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613112429/http://www.ocasia.org/Game/GameParticular.aspx?GPCode=41 |archive-date=2010-06-13 |access-date=2024-07-03 }} North Korea was the only East Asian member nation which did not field a team. The Busan Gudeok Stadium was the main venue for the Games, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics and football competitions.Bell, Daniel (2003). Encyclopedia of International Games. McFarland and Company, Inc. Publishers, Jefferson, North Carolina. {{ISBN|0-7864-1026-4}}.

Rowing featured as a demonstration sport for the first time and it was later taken up at the 2005 and 2009 Games.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-22 |title=East Asian Games in retrospect |url=http://en.people.cn/200510/27/eng20051027_217092.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422044349/http://en.people.cn/200510/27/eng20051027_217092.html |archive-date=2022-04-22 |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=People's Daily Online}}