Portable terminal and its operation method

A portable terminal and an operating method thereof are provided to search items in response to the search items on a screen more intuitionally. When a menu is displayed on a screen(S101), a control member confirms whether there is the input of a touch pad for searching the menu(S102). If there is the input of a touch pad, the control member confirms whether the input is the horizontal touch pad input or the vertical touch pad input(S103,S105). If there is no input of a touch pad, the control member confirms whether there is the input of a tact button(S109). If the horizontal touch pad input is sensed, the control member moves a cursor toward the horizontal direction and instructs another menu item(S104).