* reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=cpurl://apps.cp./Apps/econ-polls?RIC=KREXP%3DECI poll data

* Feb exports +9.5% y/y, imports +12.3% y/y - poll

* Jan industrial output +1.0% s/adj m/m vs +3.7% in Dec - poll

* Feb CPI +1.0% y/y vs +0.6% in Jan - poll

* Trade data to be released on March 1, 9 a.m.

SEOUL, Feb 26 (Reuters) - South Korea's exports likely grew for a fourth straight month in February, a Reuters poll showed on Friday, thanks to improving global trade, hopes of a vaccine-led recovery and demand for semiconductors and cars.

Outbound shipments in February were seen expanding 9.5% from a year earlier, the median forecast in a poll of 12 economists showed, slower than January's 11.4% increase as there were fewer working days due to the Lunar New Year holidays.

"February exports are seen growing by a single-digit rate, given a three-day drop in working days, but per-day exports are expected to maintain their solid growth," said Chun Kyu-yeon, an economist at Hana Financial Investment.

"Following the rise in export prices, vaccine rollouts from major economies will continue to lift economic normalisation expectations, boosting exports volumes ... Sales boost in chips and cars will likely continue, with those of oil products recovering," she added.

Preliminary data showed exports during Feb. 1-20 period jumped 16.7% year-on-year, with semiconductors and cars sales surging 27.5% and 45.9%, respectively.

Imports were expected to have risen 12.3% last month, the sharpest growth since Oct. 2018, on higher oil and commodity prices.

Trade data for February will be released on Monday at 9 a.m. local time (0000 GMT). Financial markets will be closed on Monday due to national holiday.

Meanwhile, 11 economists predicted industrial output in January would expand by a seasonally adjusted 1.0% month-on-month, after rising 3.7% a month earlier.

Economists also estimated consumer prices in February would rise a median 1.0% year-on-year, accelerating from January's 0.6% rise.

On Thursday, the Bank of Korea raised this year's inflation outlook to 1.3% from 1.0% previously, while keeping its growth forecast at 3.0%.

Vaccination plans and surging exports have put Asia's fourth-largest economy at the forefront of bets for rebounding growth, but the fastest jobs decline in more than two decades shows the recovery remains fragile. (Reporting by Joori Roh; Editing by Sam Holmes)