A vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) having an improved mirror that forms an external cavity to modulate an emitted laser beam and display apparatus employing the same are provided. The VECSEL includes: a pumping light source; a laser chip that is excited by a pump beam emitted by the pumping light source to emit a laser beam of a predetermined wavelength; a folding mirror that is separated from the laser chip and is obliquely disposed relative to an axis of incident light emitted by the laser chip and converts the propagation path of an incident laser beam; a movable mirror unit facing the folding mirror and rotates so as to selectively reflect a laser beam reflected from the folding mirror to the folding mirror. The display apparatus includes: the VECSEL having the above-mentioned structure; a light scanning unit scanning light emitted by the VECSEL to create a planar image onto the screen; and a projection optical system that is disposed between the VECSEL and the screen and enlarges and projects a laser beam onto the screen.