Abstract: An international messaging system for transmitting a short message between communication terminals located in respectively different countries and a method for operating the system, and more particularly, an international messaging system which can transmit a short message between communication terminals supporting different character systems of respectively different countries, and a method for operating the system. According to the present invention, it is possible to make and transmit a short message in a language of a first country from a communication terminal supporting the language of the first country to a communication terminal not supporting the language of the first country. Also, it is possible to transmit a short message in a language of a first country from a communication terminal not supporting the language of the first country to a communication terminal supporting the language of the first country.