NEWS RELEASE

Contact:                     Michael C. Crapps, President & CEO, First Community
                             Corporation, 951-2265 or
                             J. Thomas Johnson, Chairman & CEO, DutchFork
                             Bancshares, Inc.
                             (803) 321-3200



           FIRST COMMUNITY CORPORATION AND DUTCHFORK BANCSHARES, INC.
                             APPROVE PENDING MERGER


      Lexington, South Carolina, September 1, 2004 - First Community Corporation
(Nasdaq: FCCO) and DutchFork Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: DFBS) jointly announced
today that their shareholders overwhelmingly approved their pending merger at
meetings held yesterday. The merger is expected to close on or about October 1,
2004, subject to receipt of all regulatory approvals.

      First Community Corporation is the holding company for First Community
Bank which operates seven banking offices in the Midlands of South Carolina with
an eighth office currently under construction. DutchFork Bancshares, Inc. is the
holding company for Newberry Federal Savings Bank, which operates three banking
locations in Newberry County, South Carolina.

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