A bacterium producing the extracellular mannanase was isolated from Korean soybean paste. The isolate WL-7 has been identified as Bacillus subtiis on the basis on its 16S rRNA sequence, fatty acid composition, morphology and biochemical properties. The mannanase of culture supernatant was the most active around $55^{circ}C$ and pH $6.0^{circ}C$, and retained 90% of its maximum activity at range of pH 5.0∼7.5 and $50∼60^{circ}C$. The additional carbohydrates including lactose, $alpha$-cellulose, avicel, locust bean gum (LBG), wheat bran and konjak increased dramatically the mannanase productivity of strain WL-7. Especially, the maximum mannanase productivity was reached to 224 U/ml in LB medium supplemented with both 0.5% LBG and 0.5% konjak, which was approximately 200-folds more than that in LB medium. It was suggested that the increase of mannanase production was owing to induction of mannanase biosynthesis by both LBG and konjak hydrolysates transported following initial hydrolysis by extracellular mannanase during the cell growth.