Statement by Commissioner Kubilius at the signature ceremony of the Administrative Arrangement with the Republic of Korea on IRIS²

Our security on Earth increasingly depends on our security in space. That is why we are building IRIS², a multi-orbit constellation for secure communication.

Last month, we decided to accelerate the system, by expanding it to more than 350 satellites.

This gives additional capacity for defence, security and emergency services. The first satellites will launch from 2029.

Europe is committed to international partnerships.

From Copernicus to Galileo, Europe's greatest achievements have been built based on cooperation.

That is the European way. Strong enough to act independently but confident enough to work with others.

And now IRIS². We have already signed agreements with Norway and Iceland. An agreement with Ukraine will follow.

I am pleased to sign this MoU with the Republic of Korea today.

It marks a starting point towards a deeper EU‑Korea partnership in secure space infrastructure in IRIS².

Secure, uninterrupted and rapidly deployable satellite communications capabilities are increasingly important for security, resilience and emergency response.

The EU and the Republic of Korea have a longstanding space cooperation. It dates back to 2006 – twenty years ago - when a satellite navigation cooperation agreement was signed.