A method and device for hosting an application by an access node which provides network access to a terminal in a mobile communication system are provided. The method includes receiving a request packet for a service request from a user application of a mobile terminal, delivering the request packet to an application included in the access node, if a destination of the request packet corresponds to the application of the access node, providing a service to the user application of the mobile terminal through the application, and delivering the request packet to a corresponding public application on an external network, if the application corresponding to the destination of the request packet does not exist in the access node.