Provided are an automatic focusing method in which a photograph region is brought into focus through automatic movement of a focal lens to a focal position, in response to a photographing-command signal, and a digital photographing apparatus using the method. The method includes dividing the photograph region into a plurality of sub-regions, focusing on the sub-regions and obtaining focal position values, selecting a same focal position value if sub-regions in the same horizontal position have the same focal position value, selecting a same focal position value if sub-regions in the same vertical position have the same focal position value, and moving the focal lens to a focal position corresponding to a focal position value having the shortest focal distance among the selected focal position values.