According to security forces, North Korean balloon debris landed on the South Korean presidential compound

LONDON and SEOUL – Trash carried by a North Korean “garbage balloon” landed at the South Korean presidential compound in the capital Seoul on Thursday amid rising tensions between the two neighbors.

South Korea's presidential security service “identified trash that blew up and fell on the office premises this morning,” it said in a statement Thursday.

“Following a safety inspection, the service collected the fallen items after confirming that they did not pose any danger or risk of infection,” the service added. “The service is monitoring the situation in collaboration with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”

This is the second time that one of North Korea's garbage balloons has landed on the grounds of the South Korean presidential office.

Cross-border balloons have been an element of the recent deterioration in inter-Korean relations, with the period of diplomatic thaw from 2017 giving way to new tensions since the election of conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in spring 2022.

According to the South Korean military, household waste such as paper, vinyl and plastic bottles were found in the balloons. Some garbage balloons were carrying manure.

Several fires have also been reported in metropolitan areas, which can be traced back to “heating timers” attached to the balloons.

North Korea fired a total of 5,500 garbage balloons at South Korea 22 times from May 28 to September 23 this year, Lee Sung-joon – a spokesman for the South Korean General Staff – said last month.

Seoul estimated that North Korea spent 550 million won – about $411,600 – making the balloons, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

Lee said in September after launching 120 balloons that Seoul would consider military action to shoot them down if necessary. “If North Korea's continued garbage balloons are found to pose a serious threat to the safety of our citizens or have crossed the border, the military will take strict military action,” he said.

South Korean citizen groups have also released balloons across the border, much to Pyongyang's chagrin.

Such balloons often carry rice, essential medicines and leaflets critical of leader Kim Jong Un's regime. North Korea has repeatedly protested against these actions and threatened a response.

The border region has been particularly tense this month. On October 15, Seoul said North Korea had blown up two border roads and used “heavy equipment” for “further operations.”

South Korean troops along the border then fired warning shots, the South Korean chiefs of staff said in a statement.

The detonations followed a warning from North Korea that it planned to permanently seal border access routes, cut rail and road connections and strengthen defenses.

The explosions came shortly after Kim put his artillery troops – traditionally the biggest threat to the capital Seoul, located about 35 miles (56 kilometers) from the border – on alert after accusing Seoul of flying drones over Pyongyang.

The confrontation on the Korean peninsula could now spread to Ukraine, where Seoul, Kiev and Washington, DC have accused Pyongyang of deploying troops to support the Russian invasion.

Yonhap reported that Seoul is now considering sending weapons to Ukraine in response, having previously only provided humanitarian aid.

Yonhap also said South Korea is considering sending military and intelligence personnel to Ukraine to investigate North Korea's performance on the battlefield and to help interrogate captured North Korean fighters.

ABC News' Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.