A method and apparatus for processing a radio paging message in portable terminal, which is capable of receiving a message, where the terminal apparatus comprises a memory and a touch panel which includes an indicator at a fixed site. The method comprises: receiving the radio paging message; interrupting a current operation in response to the reception of the message, storing the received message in the memory, recording that the stored message is not read, and resuming the interrupted operation; accessing the memory and controlling the indicator to periodically flicker with the presence of the unread data; and reading and displaying the corresponding data with the detection of an indicator touch responding to the indicator flickering, and controlling the indicator to cease flickering in accordance with the detection of the indicator touch. It may be concluded that the radio paging function applied in a portable terminal as an additional function enables the user to be informed of the reception of a message and to access the received message only when desired without interrupting a current operation of the portable terminal.