[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics on Oct. 13 issued a second recall of its latest fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in the US following the first one announced a month ago.

The Korean tech giant said it was voluntarily recalling the bigger-screen flagship phones, including all original and replacement devices, sold or exchange in the US before and after the first recall on Sept. 15.

About 1.9 million phones, including those recalled during the first recall, are being recalled in the US alone. About 4 million to 5 million Note phones have been produced globally.

The decision comes after Samsung stopped the production, sales and replacement of the Note phone on Oct. 10. 

The recall program is almost the same in Korea. All owners can exchange their phone for another Samsung smartphone or receive a refund under the terms of the recall program that was approved by Consumer Product Safety Commission.

“We appreciate the patience of our consumers, carrier and retail partners for carrying the burden during these challenging times,” said Tim Baxter, president and chief operating officer of Samsung Electronics America. “We are committed to doing everything we can to make this right.”

The ongoing recall program is expected to cost Samsung at least 3 trillion won (US$2.6 billion).

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)