Go to: 100-660 The Three Kingdoms From the first century A.D., native Korean kingdoms began to assert their independence, and by the late fourth century A.D., three native kingdoms had replaced the Chinese colonies. The Koguryo kingdom occupied the mountainous north, while the Paekche and Silla kingdoms divided the southern coastal plains. In addition, a league of six tribes, known as Kaya, occupied a wedge of territory in the south and allied loosely with the Japanese state of Yamato. The three kingdoms were fiercely competitive and maintained close ties with China in hopes of gaining an advantage, giving China considerable leverage on the peninsula.