The European Commission and the Republic of Korea have agreed to strengthen cooperation on secure satellite connectivity and explore future integration with IRIS², the EU’s planned secure connectivity satellite constellation.
An administrative arrangement was signed by Andrius Kubilius, the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, and Giyoung Jeoung, Deputy Minister for the Advanced Capabilities Program of the Republic of Korea, the Commission informed in a release on Thursday.
The agreement sets up a working group to exchange information on current and planned secure-connectivity programmes, explore joint applications and use cases, and assess technical options for cooperation at system level with IRIS².
The working group will include the European Commission and the European Space Agency, alongside South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration and its Agency for Defense Development, as well as representatives from other agencies and national authorities.
IRIS² launch planned by end of 2029
The first phase of IRIS² is scheduled for launch by the end of 2029, the Commission said.
Negotiations on the programme’s governance, technical set-up and financing concluded in August 2026, confirming the system architecture and shortlisting the main suppliers.
IRIS² is open to cooperation with non-EU countries through international treaties, and treaties have already been signed with Norway and Iceland.
