The present invention relates to an apparatus capable of purifying air and maintaining freshness inside a refrigerator while minimizing deformation of the structure of an existing refrigerator, and a method for controlling the same. The apparatus for air purification and freshness maintenance according to the present invention is formed separately from a storage space (12) of a refrigerator (10) and is installed on a cooling passage (14) which communicates with the storage space (12) through an inlet (13) and an outlet (15), wherein a photocatalyst filter (30) is installed in the vicinity of the outlet (15) within the cooling passage (14), and a plurality of cells (32) forming an air vent are formed in the photocatalyst filter (30) in the same direction as the air flow direction within the cooling passage (14), in which a UV LED (41) for radiating ultraviolet rays toward the cells (32) of the photocatalyst filter (30) is installed.