Understanding the complex response mechanism of a crop to drought is the major step in the developing of tolerant genotypes. In our study, to investigate physiological traits and proteome dynamics, an inbred maize (Zea mays L.) line (KS141) was subjected to 10 days of water-withholding at the V5 or V6 leaf stage. The subsequent analysis of their physiological parameters revealed a decreased relative leaf water content, Fv/Fm, stomatal conductance, net $CO_2$ assimilation rate, leaf transpiration, and water use efficiency, resulting in severe growth retardation of leaf area, stem length and width, aerial part, and root dry matter at 3 and 10 days after withholding water. However, aerial part and root dry matter were little changed during drought stress for 3 days. To understand the proteome dynamics during the 10-day drought stress in maize leaves, comparative proteome analysis was carried out between the well-watered and drought-treated leaves. Proteins were extracted using phenol extraction method from leaves with/without drought stress, and then separated by 2-DE. After 2-DE gel analyses, 14 differentially expressed protein spots were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Out of 14, eleven and three protein spots were found to be up- or down-regulated, respectively. Interestingly, stress-related proteins such as glutathione S-transferase, abscisic stress-ripening proteins, and pathogenesis-related proteins were increased by drought stress. Our study may provide molecular mechanisms and selective markers for drought tolerant maize genotypes.