North Korea will bear the biggest and toughest burden if the crisis does not get resolved soon. North Koreans will live under constant fear of American aggression. Ironically, the possession of nuclear capability will actually heighten its security concerns, rather than guaranteeing its security. Without a peaceful resolution, North Korea will face America's political and economic pressure to topple its regime and North Koreans will live under constant fear of American military aggression. The cost of guarding the regime and suffering of living under these conditions will fall squarely on the shoulders of innocent North Korean people. The economic conditions, due to both economic sanction and additional military spendings, would worsen the sufferings of North Koreans and render their lives even less tolerable. The fear of devastating consequences of war, including fear for their lives, would be constant in their lives.    

South Koreans would face the same threats and bear similar burdens. Certainly, fear of these consequences in South Korea are far less intense and  immediate than in North Korea. If North Korea proves its nuclear capacity, South Korean economy will face a severe crisis, and South Koreans will live with the nightmare of another Korean War, a war that would wipe out the hard-earned gains of South Korea since the Korean War.

In essence, even if war or regime collapse does not happen, the economic and human costs of the continued crisis will be devastating for both North and South Korea.