A bacteriocin-producing strain was isolated from kimchi at the early stage of kimchi fermentation. It was identified as Lactococcus lactis by morphological, cultural and physiological characteristics and partial sequence of 16S rDNA. The bacteriocin from isolate had antimicrobial activity against gram positive pathogenic bacteria, such as Listeria monocytogenes. Staphylococcus aureus and several strains of lactic acid bacteria but not to gram negative bacteria, Yersinia enterocolitica. The bacteriocin was sensitive to protease, protease ⅩⅣ, a-chymotrypsin and pepsin but not to lipase, trypsin and lysozyme. The bacteriocin activity was stable at pH 2-11 and temperature of 100 for 10 min. Thus, Listeria monocytogenes could be inhibited by Lactococcus lactis at early stage of fermentation.