Provided are an apparatus and method for managing messages in a mobile communication terminal. The method includes the steps of displaying a message list including check boxes to check whether to delete each listed message in a select/delete mode, displaying detailed contents of a highlighted message from the message list in a pop-up window when the highlight moves, checking a highlighted message when a selection key input is made while the pop-up window is displayed, and deleting checked messages from the message list when a delete key input is made. Because detailed contents of messages in a list for deletion can be checked in the select/delete mode according to the present invention, not only can the problem of mistakenly deleting messages be obviated, user convenience is also improved.