抄録
This paper analyzes the activities of Japan Roche Ltd., which sold pharmaceutical products on the Korean peninsula before World War II (WW II). The Keijo (Seoul) branch of Japan Roche was active from 1925 through 1932. Working at the Keijo branch, Yukichi Uemura and Jungjae Lee were members of the first medical representatives (MRs) system, which was similar to that of the one being used in Japan.
Mr. Uemura managed the Keijo branch of Roche Japan, being the first president at the time it was established. After leaving Roche in 1932, he founded Uemura Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company in Keijo. A graduate of the Korean Pharmacy School, Mr. Lee was the first Korean MR in the Keijo branch of Japan Roche. In 1931, sales generated by the Keijo branch of Japan Roche reached one-tenth of that of Japan. Popular pharmaceutical drugs sold there were similar to Japan, such as Pantopon, Digalen, Allonal and Sedobrol. In 1932, as a result of closing the Keijo branch just before WW II, many details of Keijo branch of Japan Roche still remain unknown.
