Korea - Is North Korea responsible for this?

Checked my room at the Shang and have a most curious view (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-cfhXf55WHmI2T3YmIAgMg)

No, that's how that vessel works to lower items into the seabed for construction of whatever that needs to be there.

According to local newspaper, the police received a few calls reporting a sinking vessel. But it is not.

That's nothing - take a look at this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbuin9l0hMs).

Woooow!

False alarm ! It was reported in the Chinese news daily, Sing Tao paper and funny thing is that both police & fire services responded initially as if :o .... dispatching 2 fire boats for rescue, hmmm :D

This specialized 33 years old, 131 meter long vessel was made in Japan, registry in China and designed as a semi-submersible that sink itself half-way to do exploration on seabeds & recovery operations, etc. ;) It was unloading heavy equipment and apparently has been there / will be there over a 2 month period. So, folks crossing the Victoria Harbor on the Star Ferry, look out for it - perfect photo op.

Here's a link to one of the Chinese media article w. another small photo -
http://www.singtao.com/breakingnews/20101202a131913.asp

Notices were issued by the harbour master or whomever alerting to this back in October but apparently other "first responder" services didn't note it as routine and normal - thus, scrambled ....

Here's an article in English (http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=105645&sid=30501991&con_type=1).