North Korea on Monday strongly denied ties with the Islamic State (IS) and their acts of terrorism, calling accusations from South Korean intelligence “so absurd that even the cooked head of ox would blast in laughter.”

During a meeting with South Korean lawmakers last Wednesday, chief of South Korean intelligence Lee Byung-ho said that ties between North Korea and IS “might exist,” but that there was no solid proof.

Lee was speaking during a plenary session with South Korean lawmakers, who asked questions regarding the 200 Syrian refugees who entered Korea that day.

The North Korean news outlet Uriminzokkiri strongly denied