Rival political parties faced internal criticism Wednesday over their candidate selection rules which favor fresh, young and female figures over incumbents.

In the main opposition Democratic United Party, a decision by its leaders to nominate women in at least 15 percent of tconstituencies provoked uproar among male party members.

“If the rule is kept unchanged, all of the female candidates who have registered their preliminary candidacy so far will be given the ticket,” said Kim Doo-soo, a former secretary general of the party.

As of noon Wednesday, 42 women had registered with the national election watchdog to contest the April 11 general election under the DUP banner.

If the party’s rule is applied, female candidates will be nominated in 37 out of 245 constituencies.

Kim and other male members who face competition with women in their chosen constituencies said they plan a collective action to have the rule scrapped.

DUP chairwoman Han Myeong-sook refused to change the rule, saying it was necessary to raise the country’s low female representation in politics.

She said the party would not put forward female candidates just because they are women, regardless of their qualifications and background.

The DUP will start Thursday accepting applications from those wishing to contest the election on the party’s ticket.

In the ruling Saenuri Party, a row deepened over the party’s decision Tuesday to rule out incumbents in nine constituencies in Seoul and its surrounding cities.

The nine constituencies, including the Gangnam area, are considered safe Saenuri seats.

“It is a wrongful decision that kills specific persons’ chances (of re-election)” said Rep. Won Hee-mok, one of the party’s proportional representatives. The first-term lawmaker had planned to run in Gangnam but gave up his bid because of the rule, he said.

Saenuri is pressing senior members to give up on re-election as it strives to shed its old-fashioned, corrupt image and bring in fresh faces.

Adding more pressure on old-guard members, Park Geun-hye, its chairwoman and strongest presidential contender, decided not to run in her longtime constituency in Daegu.

Lee Sang-don, a member of its leadership council, went on to name four-time Rep. Lee Jae-oh, former lawmaker and the party’s recent candidate for Seoul mayor Na Kyung-won, and former party chairman Rep. Hong Joon-pyo as those who should not run in the election.

“Their running would not be helpful to the party,” he said.

Rep. Hong said he would leave any decision on his course of action up to the current leaders -― whether or not he should run in the election, and if so, where.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)