An international bioindustry exposition hosted by a South Korean provincial city has officially ended after surpassing its target visitor mark, organizers said Monday.

The Osong International Bio Industry Exposition was held from Sept. 26-Oct. 12 in Osong, an up-and-coming bioindustry center located 120 kilometers south of Seoul.

More than 900,000 visitors, well over the original target of 700,000, came to the exposition, which showcased the nation’s recent history in the field and provided a glimpse into a future in which many of the innovations currently in development will be in use, organizers said.

“This exposition has shown that North Chungcheong Province can indeed become the home of one of the top 10 bio valleys in the world,” said provincial governor Lee Si-jong, who was the chief organizer of the event. He was speaking to some 2,000 local officials at the closing ceremony on Sunday.

“Today marks not the end but the beginning of our journey towards making North Chungcheong a major bio center in the world,” he added.

More than 4,000 buyers from in and out of the country sealed deals worth $20 million, according to the organizers. (Yonhap)