A method for storing short message service in a mobile communication terminal, in which a new received SMS is stored at a user identity module (UIM) by performing a space exchange between a SMS storage space of the terminal and a SMS storage space of the UIM in a CDMA terminal having the UIM. The method includes: if the SMS is received, checking whether an empty region exists in a SMS storage space of the UIM or not; if an empty region does not exist, performing a space exchange between the SMS storage spaces of the terminal and the UIM; and storing a new SMS in the empty SMS storage space of the UIM generated by the space exchange.