The success of the South Korean women's curling team has been rewarded by retail giant Shinsegae ©Getty Images

South Korea's retail giant Shinsegae has announced it is to give a cash award of ₩240 million (£161,000/$222,000/€180,000) to the country's curling teams that competed in the Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang.

The prize money will be given to 21 members of the national team, including 12 athletes and the coaching staff, the company told South Korea's news agency Yonhap. 

The details for the delivery ceremony will be decided later.

South Korea captured the silver medal in women's curling at Pyeongchang 2018.

It was the country's first ever Olympic medal in the sport.

The
The "Garlic Girls" - South Korea's women's curling team - captured the imagination of the public during Pyeongchang 2018 as they reached the final before losing to Sweden ©Getty Images

The five women - collectively known as the "Garlic Girls", after their garlic-producing hometown in Gyeongsangbuk-do province - became internet sensations during Pyeongchang 2018. 

Two are sisters - Kim Yeong-mi and Kim Kyeong-ae - and their team-mates Kim Eun-jung, Kim Seon-yeong and alternate Kim Cho-hi all share the surname that is the most common in the country.

The team fell just short of the gold medal, losing 8-3 to Sweden in the final, but that has not lessened the strength of pride in their achievement. 

The men were less successful, finishing seventh in the round robin series and failing to progress to the knockout stage of the tournament, but will still share in the reward.

Shinsegae signed a sponsorship agreement with the Korea Curling Federation in 2012 as part of its efforts to help make the sport more popular.