Apparatus and method for hand-off in wireless communication system

A handoff apparatus in a wireless communication system and a method thereof are provided to minimize the delay of data transmission to a terminal from a CN(Correspondent Node) by transmitting a BU(Binding Update) message containing the IP address of a target BS(Base Station) to the CN before handoff and establishing the optimum routing path. A serving BS transmits the MAC addresses of neighbor BSs to a mobile terminal(511). The mobile terminal creates a candidate BS list for handoff, based on the received MAC addresses, and determines a target BS through negotiations with the serving BS(513,515). Then the mobile terminal acquires the IP address of the target BS(517). The mobile terminal transmits a BU message to the serving BS, including the IP address of the target BS(519). Receiving the BU message, the serving BS creates tunnel with the target BS in order to transmit data, which will be received from a CN, to the mobile terminal(521-525). Then the serving BS transmits the BU to the CN(527). Using the IP address of the target BS contained in the BU, the CN establishes the optimum routing path with the mobile terminal(529).