A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF AI APPLICATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: UZBEKISTAN AND SOUTH KOREA

The integration of artificial intelligence into English language teaching has proceeded at markedly different paces and through divergent institutional models across national contexts. This study presents a comparative analysis of AI application in English language teaching in higher education between Uzbekistan and South Korea, two countries that represent contrasting positions on the spectrum of AI adoption in education. South Korea, which has committed approximately $740 million to AI-driven educational transformation between 2024 and 2026 and became the first nation to introduce AI digital textbooks nationwide, represents a top-down, policy-driven model of comprehensive AI integration. Uzbekistan, where AI adoption in education remains largely bottom-up and instructor-initiated despite growing governmental interest in digital transformation, represents an emerging model with substantial untapped potential. Employing a comparative case study methodology, this research draws on document analysis of national education policies, institutional surveys of 186 instructors in Uzbekistan and 142 instructors in South Korea, and semi-structured interviews with 24 educators across both countries. The analysis examines five comparative dimensions: national policy frameworks, institutional infrastructure, instructor preparedness, pedagogical integration models, and student engagement patterns. Findings reveal that while South Korea leads in systematic policy implementation and technological infrastructure, Uzbekistan demonstrates distinctive strengths in instructor-driven pedagogical innovation and multilingual AI adaptation. The study identifies transferable lessons from each context and proposes a Contextually Adaptive AI Integration Framework applicable to diverse educational systems globally.