Hanmi Bank Teams Up with Shin-Soo Choo of the Cleveland Indians

LOS ANGELES, April 12, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hanmi Financial Corporation (Nasdaq:HAFC), the holding company for Hanmi Bank announced today that Shin-Soo Choo of the Cleveland Indians will serve as the bank's marketing spokesperson. Choo's first appearance will be held this morning at 10:00 a.m. PDT. Choo and Hanmi's executive management team will host a press conference at the Oxford Palace Hotel in Los Angeles to promote the sponsorship. Interested members of the media are invited to attend the press conference.

"We are very excited to commence a relationship with one of baseball's premier players," said Jay S. Yoo, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Mr. Choo's fine reputation and philanthropic nature has made him a role model in the Korean-American community and beyond. Hanmi Bank has also built its brand on serving its community and beyond, and so we find Mr. Choo, a Korean-born major league baseball player, a perfect match to be our spokesperson."

In 2010, Choo reached a 20-20 club of 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases with a batting average of .300 for the second straight year. He also led the American League right fielders in assists with 14. "I'm excited to partner with a premier Korean-American bank," said Choo. "Hanmi Bank shares my passion for continued growth and results. Their commitment to excellence mirrors my approach to baseball, and I look forward to working with them as a leading Korean-American Bank."

About Hanmi Financial Corporation

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Hanmi Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hanmi Financial Corporation, provides services to the multi-ethnic communities of California, with 27 full-service offices in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Santa Clara and San Diego counties, and a loan production office in Washington State. Hanmi Bank specializes in commercial, SBA and trade finance lending, and is a recognized community leader. Hanmi Bank's mission is to provide a full range of quality products and premier services to its customers and to maximize shareholder value. Additional information is available at www.hanmi.com.

CONTACT: Sang Kyu Lee
         Chief Marketing Officer
         (213) 427-4255
         
         Jenny Park
         Public Relations Officer
         (213) 427-4255

Released April 12, 2011