Welcome to the 2026 ALAK International Conference

It is my great honor and pleasure to welcome you to the 2026 International Conference of the Applied Linguistics Association of Korea (ALAK), held at Seoul National University of Education (SNUE).

The theme of this year’s conference, “Building Transdisciplinary Bridges in Applied Linguistics: Collaboration and Innovation in the Age of AI,” highlights the need to move beyond disciplinary boundaries and respond collaboratively to the rapidly changing landscape of language education and research. The conference program addresses timely issues such as AI-enhanced language learning and assessment, multilingualism, teacher development, discourse and literacy, and innovative research methodologies. Through these diverse presentations, we hope to foster inclusive, ethical, and human-centered approaches to applied linguistics while strengthening collaboration across institutions and professional communities.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to our plenary speakers—Professors Saskia Van Viegen, Vahid Aryadoust, and Sanghoun Song—for sharing their invaluable expertise and insights. We are also honored to welcome our distinguished featured speakers: Professors Yingli Yang from CELEA, Yoshi Kamakura from JACET, Nur Hayati from TEFLIN, Wipada Sutthiroj from ThaiTESOL, and Jocelyn Wright from KOTESOL. Their participation reflects the strong and continuing partnerships that ALAK shares with academic associations in China, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, and Korea.

I extend my sincere appreciation to all the presenters, moderators, and participants whose scholarly contributions and active engagement make this conference possible. I would also like to offer my special thanks to the ALAK executive board and organizing committee, as well as SNUE President Shin-ho Jang and the faculty and staff of SNUE, for their dedication and invaluable support in preparing this conference.

I sincerely hope that this gathering will strengthen collaboration and scholarly exchange and serve as a meaningful step forward for applied linguistics not only in Korea but also across East Asia and the wider international community.

Thank you very much for joining us. I look forward to welcoming you to Seoul National University of Education on September 12, 2026. 

Kyungja Ahn, Ph.D.

President of ALAK