A light emitting diode includes a current leakage passage electrically connected in parallel to an active layer to better protect the light emitting diode from static electricity. The light emitting diode includes a substrate, an n-type nitride semiconductor layer on the substrate, an active layer on the n-type nitride semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer on the active layer, a p-electrode on the p-type semiconductor layer, and an n-electrode formed from the n-type semiconductor layer, exposed by etching, to a portion of the p-type semiconductor layer.