British police have been forced to intervene after North Korean embassy officials reportedly told a London hairdresser to take down a cheap haircuts ad featuring leader Kim Jong-un.

Salon owner Mo Nabbach was ordered to remove the “disrespectful” poster after two officials from North Korea took pictures of the M&M Hair Academy in Ealing, west London.

The poster featured a large picture of Kim’s distinctive short-back-and-sides hairdo with the slogan: “Bad hair day? 15 per cent off all gent cuts through the month of April.”

“#NorthKorea Embassy targeted London hairdresser over Kim Jong-un discount deal” http://t.co/HoGLLD5PTz pic.twitter.com/czNmJrEweV

— Samuel Coates (@SamuelCoates) April 15, 2014

“I told them this is England and not North Korea and told them to get their lawyers,” Mr Nabbach was quoted as saying to the London Evening Standard newspaper.

“The two guys were wearing suits and they were very serious. It was very threatening.”

Mr Nabbach, said he had since removed the offending picture.

Police said they call been called in to settle the dispute. “Officers spoke to both parties involved and no offence was disclosed,” a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

The North Korean embassy is three kilometres from the salon.

The secretive state has mandated that all students must get the same haircut as their leaders.