NOVELTY - A gel-like polymer electrolyte is obtained by polymerizing the precursor of a polymer electrolyte containing a polymer, a crosslinking agent, and an electrolytic solution consisting of lithium salt and a non-aqueous organic solvent.    USE - The gel-like polymer electrolyte is used in a lithium battery.    ADVANTAGE - The gel-like polymer electrolyte reduces resistance at an electrode-the electrolyte interface to exhibit smooth ion conduction between the electrodes. The lithium battery has improved high-rate charge discharge characteristics.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A gel-like polymer electrolyte is obtained by polymerizing the precursor of a polymer electrolyte containing a polymer of formula (I), a crosslinking agent of formula (II), and an electrolytic solution consisting of lithium salt and a non-aqueous organic solvent.    x/(x+y+z) = 0.1-0.6;    y/(x+y+z) = 0.1-0.8;    z/(x+y+z) = 0.1-0.8;    R = 1-6C alkyl;    n = 3-11361;    R' = H or CH3.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) the production of the gel-like polymer electrolyte by:    (a) mixing the polymer, and the crosslinking agent with the electrolytic solution to obtain the precursor of the polymer electrolyte; and    (b) polymerizing the precursor of the polymer electrolyte;    (2) a lithium battery having a cathode, an anode, and a separator interposed between the cathode and the anode, where the separator consists of a network structure-bearing insulating resin sheet and contains the gel-like polymer electrolyte retained in the network structure; and    (3) the production of the lithium battery by:    (a) inserting the network structure-bearing insulating resin sheet between the cathode and the anode to form an electrode structure; providing the electrode structure in a battery case;    (b) filling the precursor of the polymer electrolyte into the battery case;    (c) impregnating the precursor of the polymer electrolyte into the network structure-bearing insulating resin sheet; and    (d) polymerizing the resulting product to form the gel-like polymer electrolyte.