Abstract: Disclosed are an application control device and method that activates a speech recognition mode only under a specific condition and allows control of a smart terminal by a voice input or a touch input under the specific condition. The device includes a condition setting module for setting a speech recognition control condition including an event occurrence or a device status, a command setting module for designating a set of voice commands to be recognized under the set speech recognition control condition, a command recognition module for activating the speech recognition mode and recognizing the voice commands designated by the command setting module when an event included n the speech recognition control condition occurs, and an application control module for converting the recognized voice command into an application control signal to control an application when the designated voice command is recognized under the speech recognition control condition.