Hanwha inks sponsorship deal with English football club Bolton

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Hanwha Group said Monday that it has signed a sponsorship contract with an English football club in an effort to expand its presence and brand awareness in Europe. Under the deal with Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League, Hanwha will be permitted to show its brand logo of HanwhaSolar at the football team's home stadium during the 2011-2012 season. The group did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. South Korean national football star Lee Chung-yong plays for the team, which now ranks seventh in the standings with one victory and one loss. Hanwha said that the sponsorship will help the company promote HanwhaSolar, its solar energy brand, in the European market. Hanwha has focused its investments on the green energy sector for years. The company also sponsors Hamburger Sport-Verein in the German Bundesliga until 2013. "We will make constant effort to foster HanwhaSolar to become one of the top solar energy brands in Europe," said an official from Hanwha Group.