Brussels – The EU and South Korea deepen cooperation on secure satellite connectivity and have opened the door to the possibility of Seoul’s future integration into IRIS², the European constellation for secure satellite communications. The agreement was signed today (17 September) by the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, and the South Korean Deputy Minister for the Advanced Capabilities Programme, Giyoung Jeoung.
The agreement establishes a working group tasked with exchanging information on existing and future secure connectivity programmes, identifying possible joint applications and assessing technical solutions for system-level cooperation with IRIS². For South Korea, the collaboration could open up access to the European programme’s architecture, while the EU’s space industry could benefit from South Korean industrial expertise.
The working group will include the European Commission, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the South Korean authorities, including the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Agency for Defense Development, alongside other national agencies and authorities.
The first phase of IRIS² is expected to be launched by the end of 2029. In August 2026, negotiations on the programme’s governance, technical framework, and funding were concluded, confirming the system’s architecture and identifying the main suppliers. IRIS² is designed to provide the EU with an “autonomous and secure satellite communications capability, for the benefit of governments, critical infrastructure and other institutional users.”
Cooperation with third countries is governed by international treaties: to date, the EU has concluded such treaties with Norway and Iceland. The agreement with Seoul therefore represents a further step towards expanding international cooperation around the European constellation.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
