Hyundai Motor sponsors Kim Yu-na

Hyundai Motor Co. signed a sponsorship contract with star figure skater Kim Yu-na yesterday.

The company`s sponsorship contract with the figure skater began Dec. 9, but the signing ceremony was postponed for the Grand Prix of Figure Skating finals that ended on Saturday in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Kim came second in the event after the Japanese world champion Asada Mao.

Kim`s contract with the carmaker will last for two years until December 2010, Hyundai said.

At the ceremony held at the carmaker`s office in southern Seoul, Kim presented a pair of signed skates, which she wore when she won the grand prix in 2007, to the company. At the ceremony Kim also autographed her uniform, the funds from the sale of which will be donated to charity, the company said.

The company said that it decided to sponsor Kim as her image is compatible with the brand image the carmaker is promoting for itself.

The figure skater has become one of the most popular celebrities for commercial advertisements. According to reports, a milk brand advertised by Kim has seen sales jump six times while the sales of a bakery chain`s new product bearing her name is increasing at a rate 3.5 times faster than similar new products.

With her rise as a popular celebrity with a large fan base, many large companies including Kookmin Bank have been sponsoring Kim for some time.

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By Choi He-suk



(cheesuk@heraldm.com)