Defense Minister Han Min-koo inspected the combat readiness of the military's special counter-terror units Thursday as the government recently warned of possible terror attacks by North Korea.

Han visited the Special Warfare Command's counter-terror unit and a special chemical warfare battalion to check the forces' battle preparedness earlier in the day, the ministry said in a statement.

The defense chief instructed the troops to maintain a "thorough readiness position" against possible terrorist attacks from North Korea, the statement said.

Han is "aware of the seriousness of the current state where North Korea's terror threats are increasing after (leader) Kim Jong-un ordered increased terrorist forces against South Korea," the statement also noted.

Last week, President Park Geun-hye warned of possible terror or cyberattacks by North Korea.

"New types of threats such as terror (attacks), cyberattacks or biological weapons could occur anywhere," Park said in a meeting with mayors and governors.

On Tuesday, North Korea threatened to launch a "pre-emptive strike" on the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae and the United States mainland in a statement by the Supreme Command of the

(North) Korean People's Army as it denounced joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington, slated to start early March. (Yonhap)