Hydrogen has emerged as one of the focal points of international interest on decarbonization. Many countries formulated strategies for the hydrogen economy. South Korea established its hydrogen policy framework in 2005, which outlined specific visions, objectives, tactics, and expected outcomes. However, following fourteen years of modest advancement, the government adopted a revised policy direction, culminating in the “2019 Hydrogen Economy Roadmap.” This new roadmap adjusted goals and strategies to better align with contemporary demands. With this compelling case, we aim to analyze the evolution of South Korea's hydrogen policy over this period, highlighting the key drivers behind the renewed emphasis on hydrogen, utilizing the multi-level perspective framework. The outcomes of this comparative study are poised to contribute in understanding of energy transition efforts for traditional industries. Display omitted •South Korea's two national strategies for hydrogen economy in 2005 and 2019 are compared from the multi-level perspective.•The ‘05 and ‘19 strategies show a discontinuous evolution.•There found persisted and shared visions such as sustainability, economic perspectives, and energy security.•The ‘19 Roadmap is more realistic and concrete, due to technological maturity and industrial readiness, which lacked in 2005.