Provided are an apparatus and method for generating a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list in a mobile communication terminal. The method includes: generating an available PLMN list by searching PLMNs through a Radio Frequency (RF) channel, and determining if Location Area Code (LAC) information is contained in the available PLMN list; generating a PLMN list from PLMN information matched with Mobile Country Code (MCC) information and Mobile Network Code (MNC) information and existing in a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, when no LAC is contained in the available PLMN list; and deleting items duplicated in the generated PLMN list.