Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second largest automaker, has agreed to serve as an official sponsor of the 2012 and 2016 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) European Football Championships, accelerating the brand's European market expansion through sports sponsorships, the company said Tuesday.

"Our commitment and support of UEFA will help raise awareness of the Kia brand and fortify our position as a global company," Chung Mong-koo, chairman of Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, said in a statement.

The strategic sponsorship agreement between Kia and UEFA was signed by Lee Hyoung-keun, Kia Motors Corporation President, and Michel Platini, President of the UEFA, at the company's headquarters in Seoul, the company said.

"We are truly happy to extend the sponsorship agreement with Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, one of the world's most promising companies. We will closely cooperate with Kia's efforts to advance its presence through football sponsorship," added Platini, who arrived in Seoul on Sunday.

The UEFA European Football Championship final tournament is widely considered the most prestigious football competition in Europe, which is held every four years featuring 16 countries with an estimated audience of 750 million people in the region.

The 2012 competition will be co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, while the host nation for the 2016 final tournament, which will have 24 participants, is undecided yet.