Citizens of the Global Village Think About the Year Ahead : SOUTH KOREA

Han Ae Ra, 19, a member of the class of 1994, and one of only 18 women among 270 students in Seoul National University’s law department.

“I see more bad things happening to the world in the New Year. The Persian Gulf situation will not be resolved smoothly. If things go wrong, even a war is a possibility. Even if there will not be a war, the world economy will be hard hit by the stalemate in the Middle East, and this will affect many countries.

“I do not trust Russia’s ability to solve its problems, or that its feud with its satellite states and its economic difficulties will work out positively, either. If (Mikhail S. Gorbachev) sorts out things well, that is fine, but I think there are better chances that things could go wrong there, which will also negatively affect the world, both politically and economically.

“On the Korean domestic scene, nothing seems to be going right. . . . I am not an economic expert, but the fact that the government made an expanded budget despite the ongoing inflation indicates that we will face price problems in 1991. I think the government’s economic policy, which favored only large businesses, has finally come to a dead end. Now is the time we should compete through development of technology, for which smaller companies are better qualified.

“Both internationally and domestically, I see few things to be optimistic about in 1991. . . . In Korea, the atmosphere will ripen for the unification of the country.

“Personally, however, nothing bad awaits me in 1991. I will enrich myself by reading more widely and deeply. I will begin to concentrate on my major from the sophomore year and I will travel more. And, of course, I hope to find an ideal boyfriend. If that relationship leads to marriage, very good. If not, it will at least enrich my college life.”