Provided are a soft decision demapping method suitable for higher-order modulation for an iterative decoder and an error correction apparatus using the same, which are capable of preventing performance deterioration of repetition codes using an efficient technique. The soft decision demapping method includes defining distance values between a received signal and coordinates of constellation dots, obtaining a difference between a maximum value of distance values when a first bit is 0 and a maximum value of distance values when the first bit is 1, during a soft decision of the first bit of N-bit received signal symbol, acquiring a difference between a maximum value of distance values when a second bit is 0 and a maximum value of distance values when the second bit is 1, during a soft decision of the second bit of the N-bit received signal symbol, and deriving a difference between a maximum value of distance values when an Nth bit is 0 and a maximum value of distance values when the Nth bit is 1, during a soft decision of the Nth bit of the N-bit received signal symbol.