Provided is a downlink control information transmitting and receiving method which can maximize the use of limited radio resources by effectively forming an uplink signaling message to be transmitted from a base station to a terminal and transmitting the formed uplink signaling message with a minimum amount of radio resources occupied. The method for transmitting downlink data generation indication information for a base station to inform a terminal of packet data transmission in a packet-based cellular system, includes the steps of: a) generating the downlink data generation indication information; b) recording radio resource allocation information in downlink scheduling information for transmitting the downlink data generation indication information, and allocating information for the downlink data generation indication information to downlink-shared radio resources; and c) transmitting the downlink scheduling information and the information for the downlink data generation indication information according to a transmission cycle.