A method of manufacturing a vertical GaN-based LED comprises forming a light emission structure in which an n-type GaN-based semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-type GaN-based semiconductor layer are sequentially laminated on a substrate; etching the light emission structure such that the light emission structure is divided into units of LED; forming a p-electrode on each of the divided light emission structures; filling a non-conductive material between the divided light emission structures; forming a metal seed layer on the resulting structure; forming a first plated layer on the metal seed layer excluding a region between the light emission structures; forming a second plated layer on the metal seed layer between the first plated layers; separating the substrate from the light emission structures; removing the non-conductive material between the light emission structures exposed by separating the substrate; forming an n-electrode on the n-type GaN-based semiconductor layer; and removing portions of the metal seed layer and the second plated layer between the light emission structures.