Angkor Gold Completes First Strategic Transaction: 78 km2 of Oyadao Licence in Cambodia Sold for USD $2.4 Million

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 3, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ANGKOR GOLD CORP. (TSX-V:ANK) ("ANGKOR") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a purchase and sale agreement with All Solutions (Cambodia) Co. Ltd., a privately held company in partnership with Chinese gold miner, Canxiang Mining Co Ltd. ("Allsol") pursuant to which Angkor has agreed to sell to Allsol all of its right, title and interest in and to a 78 km² subsection of its 300 km² Oyadao tenement in exchange for two million and four hundred thousand US dollars (USD $2,400,000). Under the agreement, it is intended that a new exploration licence covering the subsection to be sold to Allsol (the "Allsol Licence") will be issued to Allsol and that a new exploration licence covering the remaining 222 km² (the "New Oyadao Licence") will be issued to Angkor.

Angkor will retain 100% ownership of the New Oyadao Licence, which contains other highly prospective areas of interest, including Phum Puik, Sesan North and Phum Lomh, all of which have significant gold anomalies.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Angkor secures non-dilutive financing for the 2013 exploration season by selling a subsection of the Oyadao tenement in Ratanakiri province, Cambodia for USD $2,400,000.
• Angkor receives a renewed exploration agreement (the New Oyadao Licence) for the remaining section of the Oyadao tenement, at no cost to Angkor.
• Angkor Gold is Cambodia's Premier Gold Explorer with a remaining land package that includes 5 licences containing multiple prospects.

Under the terms of the deal:

• Angkor retains the Phum Puik, Sesan North and Phum Lomh Prospects within the New Oyadao Licence, all of which have significant gold anomalies.
• Payment is held in escrow until issuance of both new licences, which is expected to take place within 45 days.
• Upon completion of the transaction, Angkor will have no residual rights or obligations under the current Oyadao licence or the Allsol Licence

Mike Weeks, CEO & Chairman, commented, "When we met with investment advisors and analysts in the 4^th quarter of 2012, we made it clear that our ACTION strategy included deal-making and that it would be our focus in the very short-term. I'm pleased to report that we've delivered on that promise; we wanted to move Angkor from a junior explorer to a company with a history of generating viable, successful mineral development projects in Cambodia. This initial transaction accomplishes just that at a value that is in-line with other recent transactions we have observed in frontier opportunities. We hope to soon add to this initial success.

Completing this transaction is the right thing at this time and enables us to focus on growing into our role as Cambodia's Premier Gold Explorer. I invite the investment community to get to know us better as we continue to create value for our shareholders by developing our multiple prospects."

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The transaction represents important milestones for Angkor Gold and its shareholders, which include:

• A significant return on exploration investment.
• A transaction in-line with other recent deals in frontier opportunities.
• A transaction with a company that fully intends to move into production and which therefore will set a useful precedent for Angkor's surrounding prospects.
• Cash provisions in excess of Angkor's 2012 annual operating expenditures.
• Secured funding to continue Angkor's 2013 drill and exploration programs (see separate announcement in due course).
• Opportunity for Angkor Gold to focus on its other major projects.

About Cambodia and Angkor Gold's Prospects:

Cambodia is relatively unexplored and yet is already known to contain multiple deposits with grades that are suggestive of economic viability. The transaction with Allsol underlines this opportunity, and the participation of Allsol in Cambodia confirms that others are now recognizing our valuation of Cambodia's potential for gold and other mineral opportunities.

Cambodia offers Angkor's shareholders an exciting advantage: Angkor acquired licences with strong histories of artisanal mining; Angkor's prospects are accessible, mineable and well-serviced; Angkor continues to explore efficiently, maximizing the low exploration costs. Cambodia has a stable, democratic government, a business-friendly environment, and strong infrastructure in place.

Angkor's midterm ambition is to self-finance its exploration activities. In Cambodia, Angkor intends to make a positive difference while rewarding its shareholders with strong value creation.

Solid progress has been made over the past 3 years. 24% of the company is owned by insiders, and the management team offers the right blend of technical and business experience

Mike Weeks, CEO & Chairman, further commented:

"2013 is going to be a very exciting year for Angkor Gold. We're intending shortly to release more details on our platform for 2013 including our expanded exploration program. Our Cambodian story will continue to gain momentum. Combined with our massive land package and project generation capabilities, it would be a mistake to overlook us as the newest frontier opportunity."

ANGKOR GOLD CORP. is a public company listed on the TSX-Venture exchange. It is Cambodia's premier gold explorer with a significantly large land package and a first-mover advantage with excellent relationships at all levels of Government (local to national).

Angkor has 5 exploration licences in the Kingdom of Cambodia now covering a total of 1102 km², plus 3 pending licence applications. The company has been actively exploring these concessions over the past 3 years, and has now covered all tenements with stream sediment geochemical sampling, has flown low level aeromagnetic surveys over much of the ground, drilled 17,556 metres of NQ core in 143 holes, of which 8,815m in 66 holes were drilled in the 2012 season; and has collected in excess of 20,000 'C' zone soil samples in 8 centres of interest, over a combined area of 20km², in addition to numerous trenches and detailed geological field mapping. Exploration on all tenements is ongoing.

THIS PRESS RELEASE, REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE CANADIAN LAWS, IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SELL ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IN THE UNITED STATES. THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS UNLESS REGISTERED OR EXEMPT THEREFROM

Reader Advisory

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the timing and completion of the Corporation's financings and related information. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are founded on the basis of expectations and assumptions made by the Corporation. Such forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada, Cambodia, the United States and globally; industry conditions, including fluctuations in the prices of gold and other base metals; governmental regulation of the mining industry in both Canada and Cambodia, including environmental regulation; unanticipated operating events or performance which can reduce production or cause production to be delayed; failure to obtain industry partner and other third party consents and approvals, if and when required; competition for and/or inability to retain mining equipment and other services; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; liabilities inherent in mining operations; competition for, among other things, capital, undeveloped lands, skilled personnel and supplies; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions; geological, technical, drilling, processing and transportation problems; changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the mining industry; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and dispositions; and other factors. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

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