To provide a method for correcting the defect of a halftone phase shift mask capable of correcting a shifter chipping defect and a light shielding part remaining defect without impairing the resist pattern transfer characteristic of the halftone phase shift mask and the halftone phase shift mask subjected to correction by this method.

Phase inversion light transparent parts 115 for inverting the phase of the light to be cast to a transparent substrate from the phase of the light transmitted through the light transparent part 108 and irradiating the transparent substrate with the light are disposed in a light shielding part 107 which is so formed as to cover the shifter chipping defect 104 and shuts off the light to be cast on the transparent substrate. The areas of the phase inversion light transparent parts 115 and the light shielding part 107 are set at such values at which the respective ratios attain the ratios to substantially equal the transfer characteristic at the time of exposure in the light shielding part 107 to a translucent phase shift part 101.