A Klebsiella pneumoniae WL-5 with the capability of decolorizing several recalcitrant dyes was isolated from activated sludge of an effluent treatment plant of a textile and dyeing industry. This strain showed a higher dye decolorization under static condition and color removal was optimal at pH 6-8 and 30-35℃. More than 90% of its color of Congo Red were reduced within 12 hr at 200 μM dye concentration. Malachite Green, Brilliant Green and Reactive Black-5 lost over 85% of their colors at 10 μM dye concentration, but the percentage decolorization of Reactive Red-120, Reactive Orange-16, and Crystal Violet were about 46%, 25%, and 13%, respectively. Decolorizations of Congo Red and triphenylmethane dyes, such as Malachite Green, Brilliant Green, and Crystal Violet were mainly due to adsorption to cells, whereas azo dyes, such as Reactive Black-5, Reactive Red-120, and Reactive Orange-16 seemed to be removed by biodegradation through unknown enzymatic processes.