Elementary and middle schools in Seoul are set to introduce robots for one-on-one English speaking programs next academic year in a bid to reinforce the subject in the public schools.

Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon announced on Wednesday that the "English tutor robot," developed with a private firm, will be supplied to five elementary and middle schools for a trial run in March.

The AI-installed robot, resembling those operating in restaurants, will be capable of communicating with students in English, as well as offering customized one-on-one learning.

The education office will also pilot a chatbot app that enables students to engage in a conversation with the software based on a topic selected by the user.

An existing exchange program connecting South Korean students with students overseas through translation and interpretation software will expand from the current 198 schools to all first-years in middle school and other grades upon request by 2026.