The growth inhibition by nisin-Producing lactococci against Bacillus subtilis and its application to doenjang fermentation were investigated. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis IFO 12007, L. lactis subsp. lactis ATCC 7962 and L. lactis subsp. lactis ATCC 11454 were used as nisin-producing lactococci. All of three strain rapidly proliferated to more than 10$^{9}$ CFU/g in steamed soybeans. Only L. lactis subsp. lactis IFO 12007 was in steamed soybean without any pH decrease. In spite of the mild decrease in pH, the growth of B. subtilis was completely inhibited; no living cells were detected in a soybean sample inoculated with 10$^{6}$ CFU/g and incubated for 24 to 72h. The L. lactis subsp. lactis IFO 12007 was applied to doenjang fermentation as a starter culture. It produced high nisin activity in steamed soybean, resulting in the complete growth inhibition of B. subtilis, which had been inoculated at the beginning of the meju fermentation, throughout the process of doenjang production. Over-acidification, which is undesirable for doenjang quality, was successfully prevented simply by adding salt which killed the salt-intolerant L. lactis subsp. lactis IFO 12007. Furthermore, the nisin activity in doenjang disappeared with aging.