After abandoning a merger with Woori Finance Holdings Co. Ltd. earlier this month, Hanmi Financial Corp. said on Monday that a Woori unit will buy a 4.9 percent stake in the Koreatown bank holding company.

The private placement would make Woori, considered South Korea’s largest financial services group by assets, one of the top shareholders in the parent of Hanmi Bank.

Hanmi Bank on June 15 terminated an agreement that would have enabled Seoul-based Woori to take a majority stake. Woori had agreed to purchase up to $240 million of Hanmi’s stock, but the deal was abandoned amid regulatory hurdles. The two banks now plan a business alliance that would provide their customers with improved international services.

Hanmi Financial last week announced a $75 million secondary stock offering. Woori will buy shares at the price being offered to the public, Hanmi said.

“We are quite pleased that Woori has committed to invest in Hanmi in a private transaction, which is a significant step in our collaborative relationship,” Hanmi Chief Executive said in a statement.

Shares closed down 6 cents, or 6.7 percent, to 83 cents on the Nasdaq.