So apparently in Korea robots are being introduced into the classroom. According to news.cnet.com they have already been implemented in 20 or more schools in Daegu. They are currently working only as assistants and they are telecommuting via teachers in the Philippines.
And South Korea is hoping to have a robot in every kindergarten classroom by 2013. Yikes! So does that mean that ESL teachers in Korea will get the boot? Not sure, but I think that robots would deprive students of the essential human interaction, so I wouldn't think that they would totally wipe out teachers for good.
But in terms of cost cutting, I think it would be a good idea. The Korean government could save a lot of money by eliminating foreign teachers.
Simultaneously in Korea public schools are reducing the amount of native speaking English teachers. And one report says that all native English speaking public school teachers in Seoul will be let go by 2014.
So if that is so, will they be replaced by robots? If this is happening in one country could it happen in another?
Learn more about teaching English in Korea.