News Details

Nara Bancorp Announces Suspension of Quarterly Common Stock Dividend

March 18, 2009

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nara Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: NARA), the holding company of Nara Bank, announced today that its Board of Directors has suspended the Company's quarterly common stock dividend.

"Given the economic downturn and the impact it has had on our level of profitability, the Board determined that it was inappropriate to continue paying a dividend at this time," said Min Kim, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nara Bancorp. "This decision will help us to preserve capital and provide the Bank with increased flexibility to continue investing in our business in ways that we believe will create value for our shareholders. As economic conditions improve, the Board of Directors will consider reinstating a common stock dividend."

About Nara Bancorp, Inc.

Nara Bancorp, Inc. is the parent company of Nara Bank, which was founded in 1989. Nara Bank is a full-service community bank headquartered in Los Angeles, with 21 branches and 5 loan production offices in the United States. Nara Bank operates full-service branches in California, New York and New Jersey, with loan production offices in California, Nevada, Texas, Georgia, and New Jersey. Nara Bank was founded specifically to serve the needs of Korean-Americans, one of the fastest-growing Asian ethnic communities over the past decade. Presently, Nara Bank serves a diverse group of customers mirroring its communities. Nara Bank specializes in core business banking products for small and medium-sized companies, with emphasis in commercial real estate and business lending, SBA lending and international trade financing. Nara Bank is a member of the FDIC and is an Equal Opportunity Lender. For more information on Nara Bank, visit our website at www.narabank.com. Nara Bancorp, Inc. stock is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "NARA."

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about future operations and management, that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors affecting Nara Bancorp's operations, markets, products, services and pricing. Readers should carefully review the risk factors and the information that could materially affect Nara Bancorp's financial results and business described in documents the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Reports on Form 10-K, and particularly the discussion of business considerations and risk factors that may affect results of operations and stock price set forth therein. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Nara Bancorp undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements.

    Source: Nara Bancorp, Inc.
Contact: Investors and Financial Media: Financial Relations Board Tony Rossi 213-486-6545