Center Bank Opens 16th Full-Service Branch, First in Seattle, Washington; Newest Branch Represents First Expansion from Successful Loan Production Office Operations.

LOS ANGELES -- Center Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:CLFC), the financial holding company of Center Bank, a community bank focused on the Korean-American niche market, today announced the opening of its newest full-service branch office in Seattle, Washington. The company named Kwan S. Song as manager of the Seattle Branch, Center Bank's 16th full-service office, located at 17410 Highway 99, Suite 120, Lynnwood, Washington 98037, telephone number 425-743-7777.

"The opening of our Seattle Branch marks an important milestone for Center Bank," said (Paul) Seon-Hong Kim, president and chief executive officer of Center Financial. "This represents our first expansion from initial operations in a geographic area outside of Southern California. With our loan production office established in September 2000 and now our first full-service branch in the area, we believe we are well positioned to serve the financial needs of the large and developing Korean-American business community in the greater Seattle area."

"Our newest branch manager, Kwan S. Song, brings nearly two decades of commercial banking experience in the U.S. and Korea to Center Bank," Kim added. "We believe his relationship management banking expertise, which includes planning and administration, internal branch examination, commercial and business lending and international trade, will be critical in establishing sound operations as a full-service branch office offering our complete range of financial and deposit services."

After a 17-year tenure with Korea Exchange Bank (KEB), Song became a small business owner in the Seattle area in 2003. Having joined KEB in 1985, Song served most recently as a loan policy officer and senior assets manager of the bank's regional headquarters in New York. Previously, he managed the loan section of KEB's Seattle branch. Prior to that, Song served in various capacities of increasing responsibility in KEB's branch offices in Seoul, Korea. Song earned his bachelors in English and English literature from Sung Kyun Kwan University in Korea.

About Center Financial Corporation

Center Financial Corporation is the financial holding company of Center Bank, a community bank offering a full range of financial services for diverse ethnic and small business customers. Founded in 1986 and specializing in commercial and SBA loans and trade finance products, Center Bank has grown to be one of the nation's largest financial institutions focusing on the Korean-American community, with total assets of $1.39 billion at March 31, 2005. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Center Bank operates 25 branch and loan production offices across the nation, of which 14 full-service branches are located throughout Southern California and one branch each in Chicago and Seattle, plus nine loan production offices in Phoenix, Seattle, Denver, Washington D.C., Las Vegas, Atlanta, Honolulu, Houston and Dallas. Center Bank is a California state-chartered institution and member of the FDIC. For additional information on Center Bank, visit the company's Web site at www.centerbank.com.

This release may contain forward-looking statements, which are included in accordance with the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and accordingly, the cautionary statements contained in Center Financial Corp's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2004. (See Business, and Management's Discussion and Analysis), and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated herein by reference. These factors include, but are not limited to: the company's successful operation of the newly established Seattle Office; the effect of interest rate and currency exchange fluctuations; competition in the financial services market for both deposits and loans; Center Financial's ability to efficiently incorporate acquisitions into its operations; the ability of Center Financial and its subsidiaries to increase its customer base; and regional and general economic conditions. Actual results and performance in future periods may be materially different from any future results or performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this release. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Center Financial expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements found herein to reflect any changes in the Company's expectations of results or any change in events.