Flights are temporarily halted, the stock market will trade an hour later and parents are packing shrines for prayers -- it can only be college entry exam day for South Korean students.

The college entry exam, known locally as the "Suneung", is essential for admission to top universities and widely regarded as a gateway to social mobility, economic security and even a good marriage.

With so much at stake, the South Korean government is taking no chances as anxious-looking students bid farewell to their parents on what many consider to be the most important day of their teenage lives.

A 35-minute nationwide ban on flights has been imposed during the English listening test, except in emergencies, while banks and public offices told their workers to start an hour later to avoid traffic on

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