Background & Objectives : The Speech Handicap Index (SHI) is used to assess speech problem of head and neck cancer patients. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the reliability and validity the Korean version SHI. Materials and Methods : Sixteen patients with oral cavity cancer and 26 normal control were participated in the study. Test-retest reliability of the Korean version of SHI was completed by 20 out of 42 subjects after 2weeks. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the Korean version of SHI scores between normal population and patients group. The relationship between the Korean version of SHI and diadochokinesis (DDK) was investigated using Spearman correlation coefficients. Results : The Korean version of SHI provided a high internal consistency (${alpha}$=0.99) and test-retest reliability (Spearman rho 0.98). The mean SHI scores [total (T), speech (S), and psychosocial (P)] in normal population were 0.8 (T), 0.2 (S) and 0.4 (P), whereas those in patients group were 58.1 (T), 27.9 (S) and 27.0 (P) respectively. There were significant differences in total SHI score as well as in all of the sub-SHI scores between two groups. Moreover, significant correlation between the Korean version of SHI parameters (T, S, P) and sequential motion rate (SMR) were yielded in patients group. Conclusion : The Korean version of SHIwas reliable and valid. It can be useful as a supplementary clinical tool for diagnosing and measuring treatment efficacy of speech problems related to oral cavity cancer.